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CompletedNCT00228046Updated Oct 31, 2013

Medication Strategies for Treating Aggressive Behavior in Youth With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

A Phase 4 interventional study of Divalproex Sodium and Methylphenidate in Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity, Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, sponsored by Stony Brook University. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 6 Years to 14 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-10-31.

Sponsored by Stony Brook University · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
6 Years to 14 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

This study will assess whether adding a mood stabilizer, divalproex sodium, to stimulant treatment is more effective than stimulant treatment alone in reducing aggressive behavior among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Read the detailed description

ADHD is one of the most common childhood mental disorders. It often causes impaired functioning in multiple areas, including home, school, and peer relationships. Additionally, children with ADHD often develop aggressive behavior, which is not usually adequately suppressed by standard stimulant treatments for ADHD. In order to address this problem, many physicians prescribe multiple medications at once. There is no clinical evidence, however, proving that this method is safe and effective. This study will assess whether adding a mood stabilizer, divalproex sodium, to stimulant treatment is more effective than stimulant treatment alone in reducing aggressive behavior among children with ADHD.

Participants in this double blind study will first receive open label stimulant treatment for ADHD and a comorbid disruptive behavior disorder. Participants whose aggressive behavior subsides with stimulant treatment alone will not proceed into the next phase of the study. Participants whose ADHD symptoms lessen from the treatment but whose aggressive behavior persists will be randomly assigned to receive either divalproex sodium or placebo in addition to their stimulant treatment for 8 weeks. Study visits will be held weekly for 11 to 16 weeks. At these visits, aggression levels and medication side effects will be assessed. Families will also meet with the researchers to discuss the child's progress, and attend behavioral counseling with a therapist. Participants who did not continue into the second phase of the study will be asked to return to the study site for a follow-up visit 8 weeks following the end of the first phase.

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Conditions studied

  • Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity
  • Conduct Disorder
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Keywords

  • ADHD
  • ODD
  • Conduct Disorder
  • CD
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In context

Hyperkinesis

729 studies on the registry are indexed under Hyperkinesis; 25 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 80 across 583 interventional studies indexed under Hyperkinesis.

Browse Hyperkinesis studies →

Lead sponsor

Stony Brook University is the lead sponsor of 191 studies on the registry; 36 are open to participants now.

Of its 22 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 10 (45%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
6 Years to 14 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of ADHD
  • Diagnosis of opposition defiant disorder or conduct disorder
  • Score that exceeds the study threshhold on the standardized scale of aggressive behavior

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current psychosis
  • Current major depression
  • Current pervasive developmental disorder
  • Current obsessive compulsive disorder
  • Any other anxiety disorder as primary diagnosis
  • Mental retardation
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Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double
Enrollment
40 participants (estimated)

Interventions

  • DrugDivalproex Sodium
  • DrugMethylphenidate
  • DrugDextroamphetamine
  • DrugMixed Amphetamine Salts
  • BehavioralFamily Counseling
  • BehavioralBehavior Management Training with Parents
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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Aggression (Measured by the Overt Aggression Scale after 8 weeks of treatment)

  2. Improvement of ADHD symptoms (Measured by the Clinical Global Improvement Scale and ADHD Rating Scale after 8 weeks of treatment)

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Study locations

2 sites
  • Long Island Jewish Medical Center / Schneider Children's Hospital
    New Hyde Park, New York 11042, United States
  • Stony Brook University Hospital
    Stony Brook, New York 11794-8790, United States
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References and documents

Publications

  • Blader JC, Pliszka SR, Kafantaris V, Sauder C, Posner J, Foley CA, Carlson GA, Crowell JA, Margulies DM. Prevalence and Treatment Outcomes of Persistent Negative Mood Among Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Aggressive Behavior. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016 Mar;26(2):164-73. doi: 10.1089/cap.2015.0112. Epub 2016 Jan 8. PubMed 26745211 ↗
  • Blader JC, Pliszka SR, Kafantaris V, Foley CA, Crowell JA, Carlson GA, Sauder CL, Margulies DM, Sinha C, Sverd J, Matthews TL, Bailey BY, Daviss WB. Callous-unemotional traits, proactive aggression, and treatment outcomes of aggressive children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Dec;52(12):1281-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.08.024. Epub 2013 Sep 25. PubMed 24290461 ↗
  • Blader JC, Schooler NR, Jensen PS, Pliszka SR, Kafantaris V. Adjunctive divalproex versus placebo for children with ADHD and aggression refractory to stimulant monotherapy. Am J Psychiatry. 2009 Dec;166(12):1392-401. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.09020233. Epub 2009 Nov 2. PubMed 19884222 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 31, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00228046
Lead sponsor
Stony Brook University
Collaborators
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
First posted
Sep 28, 2005
Start date
Jan 2004
Primary completion
Jul 2007
Completion
Jul 2007
Last update
Oct 31, 2013

Study contacts

Joseph C. Blader, PhD, MSc
principal investigator · Stony Brook State University of New York School of Medicine
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2013. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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