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Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Adolescents With Impulsive Aggressive Behaviour: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Hassan Soleimani-Rad1, Abbas Abolghasemi1, Iraj Shakerinia1
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
Early Intervention in Psychiatry
|March 9, 2026
Summary
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) effectively reduces aggression and improves emotional control in adolescents with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). These positive outcomes were sustained at a 3-month follow-up, offering a promising treatment for impulsive behaviour.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Impulsive aggressive behavior is common in youth seeking mental health services.
- Effective psychotherapeutic interventions for childhood and adolescent Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) are limited.
- This study investigates cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for adolescent IED.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of CBT in treating adolescents diagnosed with IED.
- To assess the impact of CBT on aggression, emotional regulation, and impulse control.
- To determine if treatment gains are maintained over time.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial with a pre-test/post-test design and 3-month follow-up.
- Forty-two adolescents with IED were randomly assigned to CBT or a wait-list control group.
- The CBT group received 12 weekly sessions; assessments occurred at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up.
Main Results:
- CBT significantly reduced overt aggression, hostile automatic thoughts, and emotion dysregulation compared to the control group.
- Adolescents in the CBT group showed improved impulse control (shorter stop-signal reaction times, longer delay times) and global functioning.
- Therapeutic gains were maintained at the 3-month follow-up, confirmed by repeated-measures ANOVA.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive, multicomponent CBT targeting cognitions, emotion dysregulation, and self-control deficits is effective for adolescent IED.
- CBT offers a viable evidence-based treatment for improving behavioral and emotional outcomes in this population.
- Findings support the use of CBT as a key intervention for impulsive aggressive behavior in adolescents.
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