Research has provided substantial evidence for a relationship between alcoholism and anger emotions (e.g.,anger, hostility, frustration, irritation, annoyance). There is evidence that alcoholics score higher on measures of anger relative to nonalcoholics and that anger is a common precipitant to relapse. Despite the empirical association between anger, alcoholism, and relapse, anger management treatments have not been effectively studied among persons with alcohol dependence. The present application, submitted under NIAAA's """"""""Behavioral and Integrative Treatment Development Program"""""""" Program Announcement (PA-07-111), proposes the development and preliminary evaluation of an alcohol-based anger management treatment protocol (specifically Cognitive-Relaxation and Coping Skills Training [CRCS]) for use as an outpatient alcoholism treatment. The proposed project will be conducted in two phases. In Phase 1, a 12-session treatment manual for conducting anger management therapy with outpatient alcohol dependent men and women scoring high on an index of anger emotions will be developed, based on the work of Dr. Jeffery Deffenbacher with CRCS. In Phase 2, a pilot clinical trial will be conducted to examine the relative effects of the alcohol-adapted CRCS to a Treatment as Usual alcoholism therapy among alcoholics scoring high on an index of anger emotions. Primary outcomes will be measures of alcohol involvement and anger emotions. Positive findings emerging from this research will serve as a foundation for a larger, Stage 2 controlled clinical trial to further evaluate CRCS in alcoholism treatment and to determine mechanisms of action. The long-term goal of this research is to improve alcohol outcomes and decrease relapse, which will provide significant health benefits to persons being treated for alcohol dependence
| Walitzer, Kimberly S; Deffenbacher, Jerry L; Shyhalla, Kathleen (2015) Alcohol-Adapted Anger Management Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Innovative Therapy for Alcohol Dependence. J Subst Abuse Treat 59:83-93 |
