Effective interventions for children and adolescents with conduct disorder

Many different types of interventions have been used to treat children and adolescents with conduct disorder (CD). Unfortunately, most have had very limited effectiveness and, in some cases, have even shown iatrogenic effects. A primary reason for this limited effectiveness has been the failure of most treatments to directly address the causal mechanisms implicated in the development of CD. A few exceptions that have based interventions on the available research and that have proven to have some efficacy in reducing the conduct problems in youths with CD are reviewed. More important, a model for intervention is presented. This model emphasizes that interventions for youths with CD need to be comprehensive. That is, they need to take into account the myriad factors both within the child and within his or her social context that can cause and maintain CD symptoms. Further, interventions need to be individualized; they need to take into account the different pathways along which children may develop CD. Two intervention approaches that are consistent with these principles are reviewed, as are important directions for advancing treatment technology for youths with this disorder.