A Comparison of Fluoxetine and Divalproex for the Treatment of Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) * In good physical health * Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (OAS-M) score of 15 or higher at screening * Willing and able to comply with the study requirements Exclusion Criteria: * Life history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, organic mental syndrome, or mental retardation * Current major depressive disorder, with a Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) Scale score higher than 18 * Current alcohol or drug abuse or dependence * Active medical conditions that will interfere with the study * Thymoleptic or neuroleptic treatments * Presence of the following serious and active medical conditions: demyelinating or progressive degenerative disorders; central nervous system infection; progressive degenerative neurological disorder; ischemic heart disease; respiratory, renal, or liver disease; Type I diabetes; malignant neoplasm; hyper- or hypo-coagulopathy; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); or seizure disorder. Participants with a history of more than two febrile seizures prior to 1 year of age are eligible. * Chronic, ongoing treatment with the following classes of medications: antidepressants, neuroleptics, mood stabilizers, antianxiety agents, hypnotics, narcotics or synthetic narcotics, barbiturates, stimulants, anti-migraine agents, anti-epileptics, non-beta-blocking or Ca-channel blocking anti-arrhythmic agents prescribed to treat cardiac arrhythmia, anticoagulants, immunomodulators, anti-neoplastic agents, or HIV antiviral agents * Ongoing psychotherapeutic treatment for the treatment of IED or anger that was started less than 3 months before study entry * Hypersensitivity to fluoxetine or divalproex * Pregnancy