Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38546592›Full record

SynthesisPsychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy2025

The impact of trauma-focused psychotherapies on anger: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Stephanie Y Wells, Tapan A Patel, Tate F Halverson, Stefanie T LoSavio, Leslie Morland, Tamara Wachsman, Gabriella T Ponzini, Katherine Kelton, Margaret-Anne Mackintosh, Ashlyn Powell and 2 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
5.8field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.

Stephanie Y WellsDurham Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham VA Health Care System.ORCID 0000-0002-5725-7275
Tapan A PatelDepartment of Psychology, Florida State University.ORCID 0000-0003-2368-5447
Tate F HalversonVA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
Stefanie T LoSavioDurham VA Health Care System.
Leslie MorlandNational Center for PTSD, Women's Health Science Division.
Tamara WachsmanVeterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.
Gabriella T PonziniDurham Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT), Durham VA Health Care System.
Katherine KeltonBoston VA Healthcare System.
Margaret-Anne MackintoshNational Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System.
Ashlyn PowellDurham VA Health Care System.
Samantha KaplanDuke University Medical Center Library & Archives, Duke University School of Medicine.
Kirsten H DillonVA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
Durham VA Health Care System · USMental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers · USNational Center for PTSD · USDuke Medical Center · USFlorida State University · USVA Boston Healthcare System · USVA San Diego Healthcare System · US

Funding

CPT-SMART for Treatment of PTSD and Cigarette SmokingI01CX001757 · VA · DURHAM VA MEDICAL CENTER · PI Eric A Dedert · 2020 to 2026
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Adapting Treatment Delivery to Improve Retention in Evidence-Based PTSD TreatmentIK2HX003539 · VA · DURHAM VA MEDICAL CENTER · PI Stephanie Wells · 2023 to 2026
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Developing a Mobile Intervention for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Problematic AngerIK2RX002965 · VA · DURHAM VA MEDICAL CENTER · PI DILLON, KIRSTEN HAWKINS · 2019 to 2023
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CSRD VA I01 CX001757Durham VA Health Care System; Durham Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (ADAPT)HSRD VA CIN 13-410HSRD VA IK2 HX003539RRD VA IK2 RX002965RRD VA IK2 RX004803US Department of Veterans Affairs; Office of Academic Affiliations; Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Illness Research and TreatmentUS Department of Veterans Affairs; Office of Research and Development; Health Services Research and Development ServiceUS Department of Veterans Affairs; ORD; Clinical Sciences Research and Development ServiceUS Department of Veterans Affairs; ORD; Rehabilitation Research and Development Service
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAnger is one of the most prevalent concerns among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is often a residual symptom following PTSD treatment. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine how effective trauma-focused PTSD psychotherapies are in reducing anger.

methodThe study was reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. This study conducted a systematic review of studies that reported the effect of trauma-focused treatments on anger outcomes. Additionally, a meta-analysis was conducted with a subset of studies that used randomized controlled trials (RCTs) methodologies to compare trauma-focused PTSD treatments to nontrauma-focused and control conditions.

resultsThe systematic review included 16 studies with a total of 1,846 participants. In 11 of the studies, there was a significant decrease in an anger dimension following treatment. Eight studies with 417 total participants met inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis yielded a pooled effect size of PTSD treatment on anger of Hedges's

conclusionOverall, trauma-focused treatments for PTSD significantly improve anger, but the magnitude of change is small-to-medium. Additional research is needed to determine how best to maximize anger outcomes following trauma-focused treatment or determine if and when targeted anger treatment is needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Indexed as

AngerPsychotherapyStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticHumans

Identifiers

PMID38546592
PMCPMC11436488
OpenAlexW4393260109

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.