The more effective treatments that have emerged from research evaluating various treatments for children and adolescents with conduct disorders are cognitive or behavioral in orientation. Unfortunately, there are substantial limitations in the effectiveness of these treatment approaches when used in isolation. In this paper, research on the nature and causes of conduct disorders is reviewed and used as a guide to alternative approaches to treatment that integrate these individual components into a more comprehensive and individualized treatment strategy. Examples and guidelines are provided for clinicians in various settings.