Treatment of Chronic Anger and Aggression Following Military-Related Betrayal

Launched by THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO · Sep 20, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at a new treatment for military service members and veterans who struggle with anger and aggression, especially following experiences of betrayal related to their military service. The goal is to see if this treatment can help participants feel better about their anger and to determine if they are satisfied with the program. Participants in the study will be grouped based on how long they wait to start the treatment—either 2, 3, or 4 weeks.

To be eligible for the trial, participants must be at least 18 years old, have experienced military-related betrayal, and have had issues with anger and aggression recently. The treatment consists of 14 sessions, held twice a week, and participants will complete surveys before, during, and after the treatment to track their progress. This trial is currently recruiting participants, and it's a chance for those who qualify to receive help for their anger and aggression in a supportive environment.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adult active duty military service members and veterans aged 18 or older.
• • Endorses a history of military-related betrayal (on the Modified Moral Injury Questionnaire)
• • Endorses problematic anger in the past month (as evidenced by a score of 12 or above on the Dimensions of Anger Reactions; DAR-5)
• • Engaged in at least 1 self-reported act of aggression in the past 1 month (on the Overt Aggression Scale-Modified; OAS-M)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Participated in an anger management or trauma-focused intervention within the past 3 months as assessed by self-report.
• • Acute suicidality requiring immediate intervention, such as hospitalization as assessed by the Depressive Symptoms Index-Suicidality Subscale (DSI-SS) combined with follow up clinical interview for elevated scores.
• • Is currently homicidal with plans and intent to hurt a specific person and requiring immediate intervention as measured by self-report and follow-up with clinician if screened positive.
• • Moderate to severe brain injury as measured by inability to comprehend the informed consent document or baseline assessments.
• • Has severe alcohol consumption patterns as evidenced by a score of 19 or above on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).
• • Experiencing active psychosis or mania as measured by the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief Version and the Mood Disorders Questionnaire.