Role of appraisals in expressed anger after trauma

Anger is a common problem in trauma-exposed individuals. This study investigated factors that contribute to post-traumatic anger in civilian trauma survivors. Fifty-one trauma-exposed individuals were assessed for expressed anger, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), daily hassles, maladaptive cognitions and blame. PTSD and non-PTSD participants reported comparable levels of anger. Anger expression was associated with maladaptive appraisals about oneself, daily hassles, and self-blame. Multiple regression analyses indicated that catastrophic appraisals about oneself and time since trauma were the only significant predictor of anger expression. These findings suggest that the influence of daily hassles on post-traumatic anger may be mediated by trauma survivors' appraisals.