Assaultive Behavior Intervention in the Veterans Administration: Psychodynamic Group Psychotherapy Compared to Cognitive Behavior Therapy

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of a psychodynamic psychotherapy group (PPG) and a cognitive-behavior group (CBG) for male veterans with a history of assault. METHODS: Data collected included the Addiction Severity Index, the Overt Aggression Scale, and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Subjects (N = 27) were assigned randomly to a central group, PPG, or CBG. Analyses included an overall comparison of the groups as well as repeated-measures analyses and adjustments for covariates. FINDINGS: The PPG showed a trend toward improvement of overt aggression and significant improvement of trait aggression compared with CBG. There were no differences in state aggression or efforts to control aggression. CONCLUSIONS: Both the PPG and CBG are effective treatments for aggression.