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 reactivity to many potential provocations, anger in the individual's most angering ongoing situation, daily anger, anger-related physiological arousal, anger suppression, and outward negative expression. CT also enhanced positive forms of anger expression. Treatment effect sizes were medium to large, with many being quite large, and significantly more CT participants met an index of clinically significant change. Moreover, CT lowered trait anxiety and depression. Reductions of anger and trait anxiety were maintained at 15-month follow-up. CT was judged an effective, promising treatment for anger reduction.