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Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression (MERA)

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

Who can join

Ages 18 to 64 · All sexes

Inclusion 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.

Exclusion Criteria:

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.

About the study

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.

What is being tested

• Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression (behavioral)
• Present Centered Psychotherapy (behavioral)

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 204 · Started: Jan 3, 2022

Contact the study team

• Shannon R Miles, PhD · Phone: (813) 972-2000

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT04793776

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Aggression

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.