Caregivers and professionals consistently report that defiance and non-compliance are two of the most difficult challenges youth in care display. These challenges, along with disobedience and disrespectful behavior, are often exasperating for caregivers. Traumatized children often fail to understand and abide by rules at home, school and in the community. The mind of the child with these issues may view rules, demands, and requests from authority figures as unfair and unpredictable and respond with resistance. We will explain the possible origins of these behaviors, and intervention considerations. Specific attention will be placed on the connection of defiance and non-compliance with anxiety, trauma and neglect.