The PMHNP has diagnosed an 8-year-old boy with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Which of the following is the most effective treatment?

Choice A reason: This is the correct answer. Family therapy focusing on parent management skills is evidence-based and targets the child’s disruptive behaviors through reinforcement, consistent discipline, and skill-building in the family context. Choice B reason: Structural family therapy emphasizes family organization and multigenerational dynamics. While useful for broader family issues, it is less effective as a primary treatment for ODD behaviors. Choice C reason: CBT can help children with emotional regulation, but for ODD, the primary evidence supports parent-focused behavioral interventions rather than individual CBT alone. Choice D reason: Family systems therapy with integrated behavior modification has some merit but is more complex and less empirically supported than parent management training specifically for ODD.