Problematic anger in a treatment‐seeking Canadian Veteran population: Prevalence, assessment, and treatment implications

Abstract: Anger is a natural, adaptive emotion that is culturally accepted in military settings. Problematic anger (i.e., intense anger paired with significant distress and functional impairment linked to) is gaining attention in military and veteran populations. This study examined problematic anger in 882 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and veterans referred to a specialized mental health clinic. Intake assessments included measures of anger, psychological conditions, and military and demographic variables. Approximately 63% of participants reported problematic anger. Respondents who endorsed problematic anger had higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, d = 1.06; depression, d = 0.82; anxiety symptom frequency, d = 0.94; and harmful drinking, d = 0.36, ps < .001, compared to those who did not. Sequential linear regression analyses demonstrated that PTSD symptom severity, Badjusted = 0.18, 95% CI [0.16, 0.20], R2 = .37, and anxiety symptom frequency, Badjusted = 0.55, 95% CI [0.49, 0.61], R2 = .33, accounted for the largest proportion of the variance in problematic anger symptom severity. This is the first study to report on problematic anger in a Canadian military/veteran context, and the results suggest that almost two thirds of veterans endorsed problematic anger, which is higher than previously reported prevalence rates. This study is a starting point for better understanding risk and vulnerability factors for problematic anger among Canadian military personnel and veterans and clarifying the associations among problematic anger, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms. Implementing standardized screening for problematic anger may improve diagnostic precision, treatment planning, and outcomes.