COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT FOR SEVERE ANGER IN POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER

With a randomized group design, a 12-session anger treatment was evalu ated with severely angry Vietnam War veterans suffering combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eight participants in anger tre atment and 7 in a routine clinical care control condition completed mu ltiple measures of anger control, anger reaction, and anger dispositio n, as well as measures of anxiety, depression, and PTSD at pre- and po sttreatment. Controlling for pretreatment scores, significant effect w ere found on anger reaction and anger control measures but not on ange r disposition or physiological measures. Eighteen-month follow-up (for both completers and dropouts) supported the posttreatment anger contr ol findings. The challenges of treatment research with this refractory population are discussed.