Anger Problems Developing After Traumatic Experiences: A Case Report Cover Image

Travmatik Yaşantılar Sonrası Gelişen Öfke Problemleri: Olgu Sunumu
Anger Problems Developing After Traumatic Experiences: A Case Report

Author(s): Hatice Kübra Kurt, Meryem Karaaziz
Subject(s): Cognitive Psychology, Clinical psychology, Behaviorism, Health and medicine and law
Published by: SD Yayınevi
Keywords: Post-Traumatic Stress; Anger Disorder; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy;

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate anger problems that emerge following traumatic experiences through an intervention process based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The case presented involves a client who exhibited intense anger reactions and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the 2023 earthquake disaster, compounded by ongoing family-related problems dating back to childhood. Accordingly, the study seeks to identify the client’s psychological difficulties and examine her coping processes through therapeutic intervention. A case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, was adopted for this research. A total of 10 individual therapy sessions were conducted with the client, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. The intervention process was structured in accordance with the principles of CBT, focusing on the client's cognitive distortions, core beliefs, responses to traumatic triggers, and anger management. Techniques such as cognitive restructuring, automatic thought records, and emotional regulation exercises were employed throughout the sessions. As a result of the therapeutic process, improvements were identified in the client's ability to recognize negative automatic thoughts, express emotions in more direct and functional ways, regulate anger reactions, and manage interpersonal conflicts. In addition, a decrease in trauma-related reactivity and an increase in cognitive awareness were observed. Based on the findings, CBT-based interventions were determined to be effective in addressing symptoms of PTSD and anger problems. The client’s increased level of insight, active participation in questioning and restructuring core beliefs, and engagement in the therapeutic process indicated a positive trajectory for long-term psychological recovery. In this context, it is recommended that structured CBT techniques be effectively utilized in psychotherapy processes addressing trauma-related anger problems, with particular emphasis on interventions targeting core beliefs and emotional regulation.

  • Issue Year: 9/2025
  • Issue No: 40
  • Page Range: 1-14
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Turkish
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