High and Low Trait Anger, Angry Thoughts, and the Recognition of Anger Problems

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl J. Alcázar-Olán ◽  
Jerry L. Deffenbacher ◽  
Laura Hernández Guzmán ◽  
Samuel Jurado Cárdenas

AbstractThis research had two goals: (1) it tested hypotheses of the State-Trait Model of anger, and (2) it explored characteristics that may distinguish individuals with high trait anger who recognize problems with their anger from those who do not recognize anger problems. Regarding the first goal, findings supported three hypotheses tested. In particular, compared to those low in trait anger, individuals with high trait anger reported: (a) more intense anger (intensity hypothesis), p < .001, effect size (η2) = .109; (b) more thoughts involving pejorative labeling/denigration, p < .001, η2 = .280, thoughts of revenge, p < .001, η2 = .170, more outward, negative anger expression (anger-out), p < .001, η2 = .229, and more physically aggressive expression, p < .001, η2 = .046-.123, (aggression hypothesis); and (c) more anger suppression (anger-in), p < .001, η2 = .231, and fewer thoughts of self-control, p < .001, η2 = .088, and behavioral efforts to control angry feelings (anger control-in), p < .001, η2 = .116, and behavior (anger control-out), p < .001, η2 = .260 (reduced positive coping hypothesis). For the second goal we employed two types of individuals, both with high trait anger: those who identified anger as a personal problem and wanted help, and those who did not identify anger as a personal issue. As a result, compared to those who did not report anger problems, those who reported anger problems demonstrated a higher overall propensity to experience anger (i.e., higher trait anger), p < .01, η2 = .028, greater anger suppression and harboring grudges (anger-in), p < .001, η2 = .035, fewer thoughts of self-control, p < .05, η2 = .015, and attempts to control their angry feelings (anger-control-in), p < .05, η2 = .016, and behavior (anger-control-out), p < .001, η2 = .054. Gender was not associated with trait anger or anger problem recognition. Findings were discussed in terms of State-Trait Theory and implications for anger interventions.

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl J. Alcázar-Olán ◽  
Jerry L. Deffenbacher

AbstractThis study compared three groups of Mexican youth: (1) high trait anger adolescents recognizing anger problems (HR); (2) high trait anger youth not reporting anger problems (HNR); and (3) low trait anger adolescents not reporting anger problems (LNR). The HR group was sizable, representing 21% of all students and 72% of high anger youth. Compared to LNR, high anger groups (HR and HNR) experienced more angry feelings, engaged in anger suppression (e.g., holding anger in and harboring grudges) and aggressive anger expression (e.g., urges to aggression, physical aggressive anger expression toward others and toward self and objects), and reported lower internal and external anger control (e.g., relaxing and controlling one’s behavior when angry). High anger groups also reported greater trait anger in both parents than LNR, suggesting parent’s anger is a risk factor for anger in adolescents. HR and HNR groups, however, did not differ on any variable. Findings for high anger groups supported the intensity, aggression, and reduced positive coping hypotheses of State-Trait Anger Theory. Findings were also discussed in terms of the counseling needs of high anger Mexican youth and State-Trait Theory.


2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 851-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl J. Alcázar ◽  
Jerry L. Deffenbacher ◽  
Laura Hernández Guzmán ◽  
Graciela I. Wilson

This study compared three groups of people: (a) high trait anger individuals who recognized personal anger problems (HR); (b) high trait anger individuals who did not recognize personal anger problems (HNR); and (c) low trait anger individuals not reporting personal anger problems (LNR). Compared to LNR participants, HR and HNR groups reported more anger-out (i.e., outward negative expression of anger such as arguing with others), anger-in (i.e., anger suppression and harboring grudges), greater desire to use and actual use of physically aggressive anger expression (e.g., pushing or shoving someone), and less anger control-in (i.e., emotionally focused strategies to lower anger such as relaxation) and anger control-out (i.e., behaviorally focused strategies such as being patient with others). HR individuals reported more trait anger (i.e., higher propensity to experience anger) and less anger control-out than the HNR group. Gender did not relate to the recognition of anger problems. Findings were discussed with regard to theory and clinical implications.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Raúl José Alcázar-Olán ◽  
Claudia González-Fragoso ◽  
David Jiménez-Rodríguez ◽  
José Luis Rojas-Solis

Low trait anger, the tendency to stay calm in order to cope with frustrating everyday situations, is associated with mental health and positive outcomes. Its counterpart is high trait anger, defined as intense and chronic irritability, which usually has detrimental effects on the individuals and their relationships. The purpose of this study was to test three hypotheses in adolescents with high (n = 94) and low trait anger (n = 140), with a mean age of 13.06 (SD = 0.77). Hypotheses 1 and 2 addressed the parents’ behavior (parenting practices), and hypothesis 3 assessed social skills, anger and aggression. In particular, compared to adolescents with high trait anger, those with low trait anger: 1) experience less imposition and psychological control (i.e., less negative parenting) from both, mother and father; 2) experience more communication, autonomy, and behavioral control (i.e., more positive parenting) from mother and father; and 3) present more social skills, reflected in lower levels of anger-out, lower aggression toward other individuals, and higher levels of anger self-control. The findings, as a result, supported the three hypotheses. Aggression and social skills did not differ according to gender. However, female participants experienced higher levels of trait anger than did male participants.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-128
Author(s):  
Michelle L. Bartlett ◽  
Mitch Abrams ◽  
Megan Byrd ◽  
Arial S. Treankler ◽  
Richard Houston-Norton

The State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) is one of the most widely used anger assessments in the clinical psychology literature. It describes multiple facets of anger including: state/trait anger levels, experience of anger, anger expression, and anger control. Prior to this study, normative data was lacking for college athletes. Without normative data established, it was difficult to accurately compare the scores of college athletes to a relevant comparison group, and thus, difficult to effectively assess athletes presenting with anger issues. This study provides normative data for college athletes (N = 534), as well as an examination of anger differences between gender and compared with a “non-specfic adult” population. Male college athletes scores indicated higher anger levels on several scales, demonstrating scores indicative of being more likely to express anger and less likely to manage feeling angry and expressing anger than both the normal population and female college athletes.


1993 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 523-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony F. Greene ◽  
Samuel F. Sears ◽  
Judith E. Clark

This study investigated differences between 19 varsity and 20 intramural male football players in trait anger, anger expression, and sports orientation. While varsity athletes reported comparable levels of trait anger, they described significantly less internalized (anger in) and externalized anger (anger out) than intramural athletes. Also, the varsity athletes reported significantly less anger control. Significant differences were also found for competitiveness and goal orientation, but not win orientation, such that the varsity athletes were more competitive and goal-oriented than the intramural athletes. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of several alternative hypotheses.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (s1) ◽  
pp. 106-106
Author(s):  
Brandi C Fink

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: The current study is the first investigation of frontal alpha asymmetry in distressed violent (DV) and distressed nonviolent (DNV) partners during a placebo-controlled alcohol administration and emotion-regulation study. Because this is the first study of the pharmacological effects of alcohol on FAA, the first portion of the study was conducted to characterize alcohol effects in DV and DNV partners during the baseline condition. The subsequent portions of the study were conducted to characterize the effects of alcohol and evocative stimuli on FAA in DV and DNV partners. We hypothesized that DV partners would demonstrated greater left frontal alpha asymmetry when intoxicated and viewing evocative partner stimuli than DNV partners. Lastly, we attempted to replicate previous research that has found associations between baseline measures of FAA and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory – 2 (Spielberger, 1999) subscales of Trait Anger, Anger Expression-Out, Anger Expression-In, Anger Control-Out, Anger Control-In (Hewig, Hagemann, Seifert, Naumann, & Bartussek, 2004). METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Partners in the present study were drawn from a larger study investigating over-arousal as a mechanism between alcohol use and intimate partner violence (AA022367). Couples were recruited from the community via radio, television and newspaper advertisements, and eligibility screening occurred at the couple level. Participants included in the present analysis were 23 DV partners (12 female, 11 male), and 15 DNV partners (7 female, 9 male). The mean age of the sample was 32 (SD 4.8 years, range 23-40 years). Data from two DV partners were not included in the analyses of the FAA in the emotion-regulation tasks due to movement artifacts during the alcohol condition leaving too little data for analysis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The expected beverage by couple type interaction did not reach significance [F (1, 36) = 3.93, p = .055], but the between-subjects effects of couple type revealed a significant difference [F (1, 36) = 4.425, p = .042]. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, these results suggest that under conditions of alcohol, DV partners evidenced significantly greater relative right frontal alpha power asymmetry whereas DNV partners evidenced greater relative left frontal alpha power asymmetry. Although there was no significant between-subjects effect, there was a nearly significant interaction between beverage type and emotion regulation condition [F = (1, 36) = 4.032, p = .052] and a significant main effect of emotion regulation condition [F (1, 36) = 7.579, p = .009]. It appears that asking the participants to “not react” to their partners’ evocative stimuli caused significantly greater right frontal alpha asymmetry. Because intimate partner violence is best understood in the context of conflict between two partners, we also examined partner-reported experiences of anger as predictors of DV participant’s FAA. The model as a whole predicted 67.4% of the variance in DV partner FAA, R squared change =.674, F Change (5, 15) = 6.21, p = .003. Three anger experience scales were statistically significant. The partner Anger Control-Out (B = -1.23, p =.001) scale recorded a higher standardized beta value and accounted for 40% of the variance in this model. Anger Control-In (B = .63, p = .022) accounted for 14% of the variance in the model, and Anger Expression-Out scale (B = .57, p = .024) accounted for 13.7% of the variance in the model. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The current study is the first pharmacological study of the effects of alcohol on frontal alpha asymmetry in distressed violent and distressed nonviolent partners. Contrary to our hypothesis, under acute alcohol intoxication during the baseline condition, DV partners exhibited significantly greater relative right FAA compared to DNV partners who exhibited significantly greater relative left FAA. Because intimate partner violence is best understood in the context of couple conflict, we examined the ability of partners’ anger experiences to predict DV and DNV partners’ FAA, and a very interesting pattern emerged among our DV participants and their partners. The anger experiences of our DV participants’ partners accounted for 67% of the variance in the FAA of our DV participants when they were intoxicated and viewing evocative stimuli.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-176
Author(s):  
Ahmet Canan Karakaş ◽  
Hasan Hüseyin Eker

Itikaf (seclusion in a mosque) is prayer maintained with deep hunger during Ramadan, the month of fasting. Hunger has a positive psychological impact on people. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of itikaf on spirituality and mental health by examining its effects on anger control and subjective well-being. This experimenal study investigates the effects and changes on trait anger, intrinsic religiousness, and subjective well-being during the period of itikaf on healthy adults practicing itikaf worship. While a statistically significant difference exists between the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory and Subjective Well-Being Inventory scores collected before and after the itikaf (p < 0.05), no statistically significant difference has been found for the scores from the Intrinsic Religiousness Scale before and after the itikaf (p > 0.05). At the end of itikaf, anger-control scores were observed to increase as anger scores decreased. A significant difference has been observed in the Subjective Well-Being Inventory and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory posttests in terms of the duration of the fast. Itikaf has been found to have positive psychological effects due to being an intensive worship program.


2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 1102-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Eckhardt ◽  
T. Rene Jamison ◽  
Kimberly Watts

The relationship between dating violence and anger experience and expression were investigatedin samples of 17 men who reported at least one incident of physical aggression toward afemale dating partner (DV) and of 16 men who reported a nonviolent interaction history (NV).Participants completed the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) and performed thearticulated thoughts during simulated situations (ATSS) paradigm while listening to anger-arousingaudiotapes. Participants' thought articulations were coded for anger-related affect,other negative emotions, and aggressive verbalizations. Results indicated that relative to NVmen, DV men scored significantly higher on STAXI Trait Anger, Anger In, and Anger Out scalesand lower on STAXI Anger Control. DV men articulated more aggressive verbalizations duringATSS anger arousal than did NV men. However, the groups did not differ on the number of angryverbalizations. The findings are interpreted in the context of social learning theories of partnerviolence.


2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waclaw Bak

Abstract The present study was designed to verify hypothesized predictor effects for five anger-related variables, i.e. trait anger, anger expression-out, anger expression-in, anger control-out, and anger-control-in. A sample of 138 students completed measures for FFM personality traits (NEO-FFI), self-esteem (SES), shyness (RCBS), and anger (STAXI-2). The study confirmed the effects of neuroticism and agreeableness as being the chief personality predictors of anger; however, for the domain of anger expression-in, an unexpected role of extraversion was revealed. Furthermore, introducing self-esteem and shyness changed some effects of FFM traits. Entering self-esteem as an additional predictor improved the predictability of anger control-in. Additionally, a mediation effect of shyness was revealed for the relation between extraversion and anger expression-in.


Author(s):  
Won Hee Jun ◽  
Eun Joung Choi ◽  
Hyun-Mee Cho

Nursing students often experience anger in response to stress and suppress their anger instead of actively controlling it. Therefore, the anger self-control programs that can manage nursing students’ anger level and dysfunctional anger expression are needed. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of an anger self-control program on trait anger, anger expression style, grateful disposition, and depression among nursing students. The study used a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group and a non-synchronized design. Participants were 29 nursing students who were assigned to intervention and control groups. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed significantly decreased mean scores for the trait anger, anger-in, and anger-out anger expression styles, and increased mean scores for the anger-control anger expression style and grateful disposition. Anger self-control programs might be usefully applied as extracurricular anger-management programs for nursing students.


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