Recruiting

Chronic Anger Treatment

Sponsor:

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Code:

NCT06609330

Conditions

Anger Problems

Aggression

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Countering Chronic Anger and Aggression Related to Trauma and Transgressions (CART)

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a treatment designed to deal with anger and aggression from a past betrayal will work. The study will be done on active duty military service members and veterans aged 18 or older. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Will participants be satisfied with the treatment, and is the treatment feasible to do in a military outpatient setting
  • Will the treatment help with anger and aggression issues.

Researchers will compare differences in groups that have different wait times (2-, 3-, or 4-weeks).

Participants will complete surveys before, during and after the treatment. The treatment will be 14 modules given twice a week. About 1 month after treatment ends, surveys will be taken again.

Conditions

Anger Problems

Aggression

Study ID

NCT06609330

Start date

Mar 17, 2025

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

Jan, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Nov, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

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.

Study Design

Enrollment

40 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: 2-week wait time group

This group is randomized to a 2-week wait time prior to treatment with CART

experimental: 3-week wait time group

This group is randomized to a 3-week wait time prior to treatment with CART

experimental: 4-week wait time group

This group is randomized to a 4-week wait time prior to treatment with CART

Interventions

Countering Chronic Anger and Aggression Related to Trauma and Transgressions (CART)

Countering Chronic Anger and Aggression Related to Trauma and Transgressions (CART), a novel intervention for reducing chronic anger and aggression and improving interpersonal relationships, in military personnel who have experienced military-related betrayal delivered in 14 treatment modules twice a week.

Primary outcome measure

  • Successful recruitment [ Time Frame: Study start to last subject enrolled, approximately 1 year ]
  • Client satisfaction survey (CSQ-8) [ Time Frame: 1 month after study end ( at approximately 11-18 weeks) ]
  • Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (OAS-M) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 1 month post treatment (approximately 11-18 weeks) ]
  • Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Version (IIP-32) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 1 month post treatment (approximately 11-18 weeks) ]
  • State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 1 month post treatment (approximately 11-18 weeks) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Vanessa Jacoby, PhD

(254) 289-3468jacobyv@uthscsa.edu

Alan Peterson, PhD

(210) 562-6700petersona3@uthscsa.edu

Locations

Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center (CRDAMC) at Fort Cavazos

Recruiting

Fort Cavazos, Texas, United States, 76554

Contacts

Vanessa Jacoby, PhD

254-289-3468jacobyv@uthscsa.edu

More Information

Sponsor

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Last update posted

Apr 1, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Keywords

  • Anger management
  • Military-related betrayal
  • Deficit of trust

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-06. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on 2026-04-01.