Integrated treatment for alcohol use and aggressive behavior
Official title: Development of an Integrated Psychosocial Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorder with Comorbid Aggression
Funded at Temple Univ of the Commonwealth · NIH-11324548 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a combined therapy to help people who drink heavily and also struggle with anger or aggressive behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | March 7, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $226,819 |
| NIH project number | 5R34AA030919-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324548 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with a diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder who also show clinically significant aggression, frequent angry outbursts, or related violent behaviors.
✕Less likely to help
People who have only alcohol problems without co-occurring aggression, or those with active psychosis, severe cognitive impairment, or immediate unmanaged safety risks, may not be eligible or benefit from this intervention.
What this research studies
If you have both problematic drinking and frequent angry or aggressive behavior, this project will develop and pilot an integrated therapy that combines alcohol treatment with cognitive-behavioral techniques proven to reduce aggression. Participants will receive structured sessions teaching skills like cognitive restructuring, relaxation, coping strategies, and techniques to reduce drinking triggers. The team will run the pilot at Temple University, collect measures of drinking, aggression, safety, and daily functioning, and use participant feedback to refine the program. The aim is to produce a practical, clinic-ready treatment that addresses both problems together.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lower drinking and aggressive incidents, improve personal safety and relationships, and offer a tailored treatment for people with both conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Cognitive-behavioral programs for aggression (like CRCST) have reduced aggressive behavior in prior trials, but explicitly combining aggression treatment with alcohol care is relatively new and being piloted here.
Where this research is happening
-
Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mccloskey, Michael S — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Mccloskey, Michael S
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.