Results There is some evidence of the effectiveness of medication in treating DBDs , with positive outcomes for lithium and risperidone in particular .
Pharmacotherapy also demonstrated some efficacy in reducing symptoms of aggression .
Medication was relatively well-tolerated , as indicated by equivalent dropout rates in medication and comparison groups .
Rationale Pharmacotherapy is frequently considered in the treatment of  disruptive behavior disorders ( DBDs ) in children and adolescents .
There are , however , no systematic review s of this literature .
Objectives The aim of this work is to determine whether medication is effective in treating pediatric disruptive behavior disorders and related problems of impulse control , as well as to examine differences in the treatment response and tolerability of different medication classes and agents .
Which boys respond to stimulant medication? A controlled trial of methylphenidate in boys with disruptive behaviour.
Thirty-eight boys , referred for psychiatric treatment because of serious problems of behaviour , underwent a double-blind , placebo-controlled , crossover trial of methylpheni date and placebo . Methylpheni date was an effective treatment over a 3-week period . A good response to methylpheni date was predicted by higher levels of inattentive and restless behaviour , impaired performance on tests of attention , clumsiness , younger age and by the absence of symptoms of overt emotional disorder . DSM-III and ICD-9 diagnoses of ' hyperactivity ' were not good predictors . The results support the validity of a construct of hyperactivity in describing childhood psychopathology , but emphasize the need for a refinement of diagnostic criteria
Results There is some evidence of the effectiveness of medication in treating DBDs , with positive outcomes for lithium and risperidone in particular .
Pharmacotherapy also demonstrated some efficacy in reducing symptoms of aggression .
Medication was relatively well-tolerated , as indicated by equivalent dropout rates in medication and comparison groups .
Rationale Pharmacotherapy is frequently considered in the treatment of  disruptive behavior disorders ( DBDs ) in children and adolescents .
There are , however , no systematic review s of this literature .
Objectives The aim of this work is to determine whether medication is effective in treating pediatric disruptive behavior disorders and related problems of impulse control , as well as to examine differences in the treatment response and tolerability of different medication classes and agents .