An application of Beck's cognitive therapy to general anger reduction

Beck's cognitive therapy (CT) was compared to a no-treatment control in the reduction of anger in college students. CT lowered trait anger anger react ivity to many potential provocations, anger in the individual's most angeri ng ongoing situation, daily anger anger-related physiological arousal, ange r suppression, and outward negative expression. CT also enhanced positive f orms of anger expression. Treatment effect sizes were medium to large, with many being quite large, and significantly more CT participants met art ind ex of clinically significant change. Moreover, CT lowered trait anxiety and depression. Reductions of anger and trait anxiety were maintained at 15-mo nth follow-up. CT was judged an effective, promising treatment for anger re duction.