Cognitive-behavioral treatment for severe anger in posttraumatic stress disorder.
With a randomized group design, a 12-session anger treatment was evaluated with severely angry Vietnam War veterans suffering combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eight participants in anger treatment and 7 in a routine clinical care control condition completed multiple measures of anger control, anger reaction, and anger disposition, as well as measures of anxiety, depression, and PTSD at pre- and posttreatment. Controlling for pretreatment scores, significant effects were found on anger reaction and anger control measures but not on anger disposition or physiological measures. Eighteen-months follow-up (for both completers and dropouts) supported the posttreatment anger control findings. The challenges of treatment research with this refractory population are discussed.
Chemtob
C M
CM
Stress Disorders Laboratory, Department of Veterans Affairs, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, USA.
Novaco
R W
RW
Hamada
R S
RS
Gross
D M
DM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000786:Anger / Q000502:physiology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D019260:Expressed Emotion / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*