the effect of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on anger and general health of female students in iran: a pilot study

Background: there is a growing body of literature in favor of cognitive therapy on anger in the world. objectives: the aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral group therapy in the reduction of state-trait anger and increase of general health among female students of khorasgan azad university, isfahan. materials and methods: this study was a quasi-experimental research. a number of 40 students from the humanity sciences faculty of khorasgan azad university, who accepted the invitation to the study, were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 20 participants) and control (n = 20 participants) groups. the group therapy, based on reilly & shropshire’s model (2000), was held in 8 weekly sessions at khorasgan azad university. the participants were asked to fill out the spielberger’s state-trait and general health questionnaires in the pre-test, post-test and follow-up test (6 months later). results: the results of multivariate analysis of covariance (mancova) showed a significant difference between the groups in the mean scores of state anger, anxiety, social dysfunction, depression, and general health in the post-test (p < 0.05). however, there was not a significant difference in the mean scores of trait anger and somatic symptom in this stage. in the follow-up stage, there was a significant difference in all the variables between the two groups (p < 0.05). conclusions: cognitive-behavioral group therapy could be an appropriate approach in decreasing anger and improving general health among female students.