Objective: The aim of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral anger management group therapy for reducing wife abuse and increasing marital satisfaction in patients with substance abuse.

Materials & Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted using the pretest-posttest design. The statistical population included all men with substance abuse who were attending drug addiction treatment centers in Tehran in 2013. Twelve patients with drug abuse that showed high levels of wife abuse and their spouses were randomly selected and equally placed in the experimental (N=6) and control (N=6) groups. Data were collected using ‘Ghahari and colleagues’ Wife Abuse Inventory’ and ‘ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale’. Data were analyzed by T-tests and ANCOVA.

Results: Findings indicated that, compared with the control group, cognitive-behavioral group therapy for anger management significantly reduced levels of wife abuse (P<0.01) and increased marital satisfaction (P<0.05, F: 12.36) among the experimental group.

Conclusion: Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for anger management is effective in reducing wife abuse and increasing marital satisfaction in men with substance abuse.