Introduction: Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children and is influenced by various individual and family-related factors. The present study aimed to examine a causal model of Oppositional Defiant Disorder symptoms based on child-oriented empathy, with the mediating role of mothers’ parenting styles.
Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all mothers of children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder who attended counseling centers in Tehran, Iran. A total of 329 participants were selected through convenience sampling, and data from 310 mothers were ultimately analyzed. The research instruments included the Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms Scale developed by Hommersen et al., the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) by Davis, and Baumrind’s Parenting Styles Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24 through structural equation modeling.
Results: The findings indicated that child-oriented empathy and authoritative parenting style were significantly and negatively associated with symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder, whereas permissive and authoritarian parenting styles showed significant positive associations with these symptoms. Furthermore, the direct effect of child-oriented empathy on ODD symptoms was negative and statistically significant (p < .05). In addition, authoritative, permissive, and authoritarian parenting styles significantly mediated the relationship between child-oriented empathy and ODD symptoms. The model fit indices also demonstrated an acceptable fit of the proposed model.
Conclusion: The results suggest that child-oriented empathy is associated with symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder both directly and indirectly through mothers’ parenting styles. Therefore, interventions aimed at enhancing maternal empathy and modifying parenting styles may be effective in reducing the symptoms of this disorder.