Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression (MERA)

Description

PTSD is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions affecting Veterans who have served since 9/11. Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) report difficulty controlling impulsive aggression (IA). An inability to manage one's emotions (emotion dysregulation) is an underlying mechanism of IA. Reducing IA and increasing use of PTSD evidence-based psychotherapies are two critical missions for the Veterans Health Administration. The proposed research supports these missions by comparing a 3- session emotion regulation treatment (Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression) to a control group in order to determine if MERA can reduce IA and prepare Veterans for PTSD treatment. By enhancing Veterans' abilities to cope with trauma-related emotions and feel equipped to initiate PTSD treatments, this research aims to help Veterans decrease IA and ultimately recover from PTSD.

Conditions

Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Aggression, Emotion Regulation

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

PTSD is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions affecting Veterans who have served since 9/11. Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) report difficulty controlling impulsive aggression (IA). An inability to manage one's emotions (emotion dysregulation) is an underlying mechanism of IA. Reducing IA and increasing use of PTSD evidence-based psychotherapies are two critical missions for the Veterans Health Administration. The proposed research supports these missions by comparing a 3- session emotion regulation treatment (Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression) to a control group in order to determine if MERA can reduce IA and prepare Veterans for PTSD treatment. By enhancing Veterans' abilities to cope with trauma-related emotions and feel equipped to initiate PTSD treatments, this research aims to help Veterans decrease IA and ultimately recover from PTSD.

Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression - MERA: A Brief Aggression Treatment for Veterans With PTSD Symptoms

Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression (MERA)

Condition
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Tampa

James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL, Tampa, Florida, United States, 33612

Houston

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, Houston, Texas, United States, 77030

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. Male and female Veterans who deployed to combat zones since 9/11.
  • 2. Currently meets criteria for full or subthreshold PTSD, determined by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5
  • 3. Engaged in at least 3 self-reported aggressive acts (e.g., yelling, throwing objects, hitting objects/people) in the last month, measured by the Overt Aggression Scale
  • 4. Impulsive aggression is his/her primary form of aggression, determined by the Impulsive Premeditated Aggression Scale
  • 5. Each Veteran must allow an independent aggression rater (live-in partner, family member, or roommate above 18 years of age)\] verify the number of aggressive acts, using the Overt Aggression Scale.
  • 6. Agreement not to change psychotropic medications through the duration of the study.
  • 1. Currently suicidal with intent of self-harm in the last week.
  • 2. Currently homicidal with plans to hurt a specific person.
  • 3. Unable to complete self-report measures.
  • 4. Meets diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder or psychotic disorder.
  • 5. Had a psychotropic medication change within 4 weeks prior to the baseline assessment. Veterans receiving general mental health services or engaging in usual care will be allowed to participate.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 64 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

VA Office of Research and Development,

Shannon R. Miles, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL

Study Record Dates

2026-06-30