Traditionally, in-patient psychiatric treatment for conduct disorder in childhood has been psychoanalytically oriented, as described by Mik in 1969. The current empirical literature both on the pathogenesis of conduct disorder and on treatment outcome suggests that social learning theory, with its various perspectives such as the social interactional perspective and the social cognitive perspective, provides a plausible theoretical frame of reference for the philosophy of in-patient treatment for conduct disorder. For the treatment of comorbid disorders medication is indicated.