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 .
An open trial of bupropion for ADHD in adolescents with substance use disorders and conduct disorder.
OBJECTIVE Adolescents with conduct disorder ( CD ) and substance use disorders ( SUD ) have higher rates of comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) than those without CD and SUD . Comorbid ADHD may contribute to more severe SUD . Treatment of ADHD may enhance effective treatment of substance abuse and behavior problems , yet there are few data regarding pharmacological treatment of ADHD in such youths . METHOD Pilot data are presented from a 5-week , open-label bupropian trial in 13 nondepressed adolescent boys in a residential treatment program focusing on substance and behavioral treatments . All had diagnoses of ADHD , CD , and SUD . Patients ' doses were titrated to a maximum fixed daily dose of 300 mg of bupropion . The Conners Hyperactivity Index and Daydream Attention scores , along with Clinical Global Impressions Severity of Illness ( CGI-S ) ratings , were obtained at baseline and at the fifth week of treatment . RESULTS Subjects ' mean Conners Hyperactivity Index score declined from 75.5 to 65.4 ( p < .01 , Wilcoxon signed rank test ) ( 13 % decline ) . The mean Daydream Attention score declined from 59.5 to 53.6 ( p < .02 , Wilcoxon signed rank test ) ( 10 % decline ) . Mean CGI-S declined from 4.9 to 3.0 ( p < .002 , Wilcoxon signed rank test ) ( 39 % decline ) . CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data suggest that bupropion may be a useful treatment for ADHD in adolescents with CD and SUD ; they suggest the need for a controlled trial of bupropion in such youths
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 .