Because aggressive behaviors are socially defined and determined, they are inseparable from the interaction between the individual and his or her milieu. Aggression must be viewed as a complex component of the child's total behavioral repertoire that is dynamically regulated. In making treatment decisions it is necessary to determine if the aggression is unreasonably intense, if the child lacks social skills for dealing with anger once it has been aroused, and if the fear of the consequences of aggressive acts is insufficiently intense. On the basis of this determination, appropriate and multifaceted interventions can be designed. Such interventions might include training in social skills, assertiveness, self-control, problemsolving, and empathy. Other interventions might focus on modifying parental reinforcement and interaction patterns, while others might be based on community models. 46 references.