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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Karolinska Institutet | OTHER |
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Habitual suppression of intense anger, commonly known as maladaptive anger inhibition, is a widespread issue related to various adverse outcomes. These include, for instance, diminished social support, reduced relationship quality, increased risk for coronary heart disease, and heightened susceptibility to chronic and temporary pain conditions. Developing effective psychological treatments may be one key approach to alleviate the distress experienced amongst these individuals.
The overall goal of this pilot study is to further develop and enhance a previously evaluated treatment protocol for maladaptive anger (Bjureberg et al., 2023) to more effectively target maladaptive anger inhibition. The specific goals are:
To assess the feasibility and acceptability of the study (operationalized as number of completed modules and measurements, reported negative events and patient experience).
To assess outcome variability and estimate the relative effect of the treatment in reducing maladaptive anger inhibition. Maladaptive anger inhibition was operationalized as high levels of trait anger suppression (main outcome), anger rumination (secondary outcome) as well as low levels assertive expression of anger (secondary outcome).
Secondary aims (to be reported in secondary papers)
To assess and explore participants' qualitative experiences of maladaptive anger inhibition.
To explore within-subjects emotion dynamics using daily assessments.
Assessment procedure:
Participants will undergo intensive assessment throughout the project. Participants will complete 1 screening assessment followed by 4 weeks of weekly baseline assessments, with one of the weeks including daily assessments (burst 1). Following the baseline phase, participants will enroll in a 4-week online treatment with weekly assessments. After treatment, participants will undergo 1 week of daily assessments (burst 2) and a 3-month follow-up.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| eCREAT | Experimental | eCREAT consists of four guided internet modules delivered over four weeks (one each week), see "intervention description" below for further details. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhanced Cognitive Reappraisal and Emotion Awareness Training (eCREAT) | Behavioral | eCREAT features psychoeducational content on anger management, practical exercises, and homework assignments, all supported by an online therapist who provides text-based feedback. The protocol builds on a previously evaluated protocol for maladaptive anger (ClinicalTrials.gov; ID: NCT03858296) with added focus on anger inhibition. eCREAT is based on the two-stage model of maladaptive anger inhibition (Burns et al., 2008), which posits that suppressed anger may rebound and return as angry fantasies and ruminations. To address these core mechanisms, the treatment includes training on adaptive anger processing and expression and strategies for disrupting anger ruminations. These added treatment components are based on established protocols for depressive rumination, and assertive expression of emotion, adapted for an anger context. Additionally, the treatment also focuses on how to flexibly shift between different emotion regulation strategies depending on contextual demands. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, Anger-Expression In scale (STAXI-2; AX-I) | Used to assess symptom severity of maladaptive anger inhibition. The AX-I scale has 8 items, each rated on a 4 point, with higher scores reflecting higher degree of anger inhibition. Self-rated. | Screening, 4 weeks baseline (weekly), 4 weeks treatment (weekly), and 3-month follow-up. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Anger Response Questionnaire, Assertion scale (BARQ; assertion) | Used to assess the level of assertive expression of anger. The assertion scale has 6 items, each rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater anger assertion. Self-rated. | Screening, 4 weeks baseline (weekly), 4 weeks treatment (weekly), and 3-month follow-up. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Demographic information | For this study we collected information about the following: telephone number, e-mail, date of birth, gender, country of origin, partnership, living conditions (e.g., living alone, with children, and family), suspected of violent crime, convicted for violent crime, neuropsychiatric disorder (yes/no), highest education, employment, sick-leave, prior psychological treatment, current psychological treatment, and psychotropic medication. |
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Hugo Hesser, Phd | Örebro University, Sweden | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Örebro University | Örebro | Sweden |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36409100 | Background | Bjureberg J, Ojala O, Berg A, Edvardsson E, Kolbeinsson O, Molander O, Morin E, Nordgren L, Palme K, Sarnholm J, Wedin L, Ruck C, Gross JJ, Hesser H. Targeting maladaptive anger with brief therapist-supported internet-delivered emotion regulation treatments: A randomized controlled trial. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2023 May;91(5):254-266. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000769. Epub 2022 Nov 21. | |
| 18498056 |
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Individual participant data (IPD) cannot be publicly available according to national (Swedish) and European Union legislation and thus cannot be published in an open repository. However, if granted by the ethical review board in Stockholm, Sweden, aggregated data could be made available upon request.
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| Anger Rumination Scale (ARS) | Used to assess levels anger rumination. The scale has 19 items, each rated on a 4-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater levels of anger rumination. Self-rated. | Screening, 4 weeks baseline (weekly), 4 weeks treatment (weekly), and 3-month follow-up. |
| Self-Critical Rumination Scale (SCRS) | Used to assess levels of self-critical rumination. The scale has 10 items, each rated on a 4-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater levels of self-critical rumination. Self-rated. | Screening, 4 weeks baseline (weekly), 4 weeks treatment (weekly), and 3-month follow-up. |
| Thought Suppression Inventory - Revised, Suppression attempts scale (TSI; Suppression attempts) | Used to assess levels of thought suppression, adapted for measuring suppression of angry thoughts. The suppression attempts scale has 7 items, each rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater levels of attempts to suppress angry thoughts. Self-rated. | Screening, 4 weeks baseline (weekly), 4 weeks treatment (weekly), and 3-month follow-up. |
| Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) | Used to assess the degree of usage of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, as two emotion regulation strategies. ERQ consists of 10 items divided on two scales that measure cognitive reappraisal (6 items) and expressive suppression (4 items) respectively. Each item is rated on a 7-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater usage of either cognitive reappraisal or expressive suppression. Self-rated. | Screening, 4 weeks baseline (weekly), 4 weeks treatment (weekly), and 3-month follow-up. |
| Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) | Used to assess the degree of usage of different facets of mindfulness to regulate emotions. FFMQ consists of 29 items and the following scales, each measuring different facets of mindfulness: Observing, Describing, Acting with Awareness, Nonjudging, and Nonreactivity. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores reflecting greater usage of that specific mindfulness facet. Self-rated. Additional info about time frame: In this study the Describing and Nonjudging scales were assessed at each assessment point whereas the Acting with Awareness, and Nonreactivity scales were only assessed at screening, baseline week 4 (pre), treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up. The observing scale was not included in this study. | Screening, 4 weeks baseline (weekly), 4 weeks treatment (weekly), and 3-month follow-up (see description for details). |
| Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) | Used to assess level of aggression. AQ consists of 29 items and the following scales: verbal aggression, physical aggression, hostility and anger. For this study we only used the verbal aggression, physical aggression, and hostility scales. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale, with higher score reflecting greater levels of aggression. Self-rated. | Screening, baseline week 4 (pre), treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up. |
| Indirect Aggression Scale for perpetrators (IAS-A) | Used to assess three dimensions of passive aggression. IAS-A consists of 25 items and the following scales: social exclusion, malicious humor and guilt induction. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores representing greater use of passively aggressive behavior. Self-rated. | Screening, baseline week 4 (pre), treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up. |
| Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire-Short Form (PAQ-S) | Used to assess difficulties with identifying and describing emotional experiences (i.e., Alexithymia). PAQ-S consists of 6 items, each item israted on a 7-point scale, with higher scores representing greater problems with Alexithymia. Self-rated. | Screening, baseline week 4 (pre), treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up. |
| Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (DERS-16) | Used to assess difficulties with regulating emotions. DERS consists of 16 items and the following scales: clarity, goals, impulse, emotion regulation, and nonacceptance. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores representing greater difficulties with regulating emotions. Self-rated. | Screening, baseline week 4 (pre), treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up |
| Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8) | Used to assess somatic symptoms and pain burden. SSS-8 consist of 8 items, each item is rated on a 5-point scale, with higher scores representing greater degree of pain problems. Self-rated. | Screening, treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up. |
| Affective Control Scale, fear of anger subscale (ACS) | Used to assess fear of anger. The fear of anger scale consists of 8 items, each rated on a 7-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater fear of anger. | Screening, baseline week 4 (pre), treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up. |
| State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, Anger-Expression Out scale, and trait anger (STAXI-2; AX-O;T-ANG) | Used to assess symptom severity of maladaptive expressions of anger and frequency of anger experiences (i.e., trait anger). The anger-expression out scale consists of 8 items, each rated on a 4-point scale with higher scores indicating greater problems with anger expression. The trait anger scale consists of 10 items, each rated on a 4-points scale, with higher scores indicating greater frequency of anger experiences. Self-rated. | Screening, baseline week 4 (pre), treatment week 4 (post), and at the 3-month follow-up. |
| Screening |
| Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI | A semi-structured interview used to assess psychiatric diagnoses during the screening process. Covers 17 of the most common psychiatric disorders in the Diagnostic Manual for Mental disorders - version 5 (DSM-5). Clinician-rated. | Screening |
| Risk for Violence Interview (RVI) | A semi-structured interview, created by our research team, was used to screen for physical and psychological violence and abuse, both from a perpetrator- and victimization perspective. RVI builds upon the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS), and the Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse (MMEA). Clinician-rated. | Screening |
| Treatment Credibility Scale (TCS) | Used to assess treatment credibility. The scale consists of 6 items either rated on a 9-point scale or a percentage bar, with 10 % intervals (0-100 %). Higher scores indicate greater treatment credibility. Self-rated. | Treatment week 2 |
| Client Satisfaction Questionnaire -8 (CSQ-8) | Used to assess client satisfaction with treatment. This scale has 8 items, each rated on a 4-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater treatment satisfaction. Self-rated. | Treatment week 4 (post) |
| Questionnaire on adverse events experienced during internet-therapy | Used to assess adverse events related to treatment. In addition to being asked to report any negative or adverse during treatment, participants also got to answer this questionnaire. This questionnaire consists of 13 items representing potential adverse events that can be experienced during internet-treatment. Participants are asked to report the extent of impact of these events on their well-being using a 4-point scale, with higher scores indicating a greater impact. Self-rated. | Treatment week 4 (post), and at 3-month follow-up. |
| Patient adherence | Patient adherence will be monitored throughout the treatment by assessing completed treatment modules, completed exercises, completed homework, logged communication with the assigned therapist and time logged in on the treatment platform. | Treatment week 1-4 |
| Background |
| Burns JW, Quartana PJ, Bruehl S. Anger inhibition and pain: conceptualizations, evidence and new directions. J Behav Med. 2008 Jun;31(3):259-79. doi: 10.1007/s10865-008-9154-7. Epub 2008 May 23. |
| 40757961 | Derived | Larsson J, Ojala O, Bjureberg J, Sederstrom P, Hvass O, Bjork P, Lidskog S, Hesser H. Online emotion regulation treatment for maladaptive anger inhibition - an open-label pilot with a pooled interrupted time series design. Cogn Behav Ther. 2025 Aug 4:1-16. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2025.2542355. Online ahead of print. |