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Depression significantly increases the level of anger in veterans suffering post traumatic stress disorder, according to new research.

Researchers found that depressed veterans tend to lash out in a significantly more amplified way compared to non-depressed veterans.

"Our study findings should draw attention to anger as a major treatment need when military service members screen positive for PTSD or for depression, and especially when they screen positive for both," lead author Raymond Novaco, PhD, professor of psychology and social behavior at the University of California, Irvine, said in a news release.

The latest study involved f 2,077 U.S. soldiers (1,823 men and 254 women) who were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. All participants in the study had sought psychological therapy after their service.

After screening participants suffering PTSD and major depressive disorder, researchers were able to categorize them into one of four groups: PTSD-only, MDD-only, PTSD and MDD combined or neither.

Study results revealed that people with PTSD and MDD were significantly more likely to report anger and self harm.

Researchers said the findings were important because around 72 percent of veterans who tested positive for PTSD also tested positive for MDD. The study looked at anger because the emotion hasn't been enough attention as a clinical problem among trauma populations.

"There is no diagnostic category for anger, nor do I think there should be, so anger slips from research attention," said Novaco.

The findings are published in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory Research, Practice and Policy.