Anger Management

Question 1

What’s anger management?

Answer 1

Therapeutic programme that involves identifying signs that trigger anger as well as learning techniques to calm down and deal with situation in positive way.

Question 2

Which approach does anger management relate to?

Answer 2

-cognitive approach: Novato (1975)- cognitive factors trigger emotionally arousal which leads to agressive acts.
-behaviourist approach: becoming angry is reinforced by the feeling that the person is in control of the situation.

Question 3

CBT and anger management

Answer 3

-form of CBT and anger management programme
-individuals taught when they’re getting angry (losing control) - irrational thoughts
-techniques for conflict - resolution without need for violence - behavioural techniques

Question 4

1. Cognitive preparation

Answer 4

-reflect on past experiences and identifies triggers (stressors) to anger.
-encouraged to think about about whether these thoughts are rational (how would other people see the situation)
-in redefining the situation as non-threatening, the therapist is breaking an automatic response from offender.
-example - offender may see someone looking at them as threatening

Question 5

2. Skills acquisition

Answer 5

-taught coping strategies
-deal with anger provoking situations rationally.
Cognitive: helps control anger + emotions
Behavioural: assertiveness training to communicate more effectively
Physiological: relaxation/mediation

Question 6

3. Application practise

Answer 6

-practise skills in role play (carefully monitored environment)
-re-enacting scenarios that led to anger/violence - offender can get feedback.
-success can result in positive reinforcement from therapists.

Question 7

Keen et al (2000)

Answer 7

-studied progress made with young offenders (17-21) who took part in the National Anger Management Package developed by England and Wales prison service.
-eight two hours sessions were given to the offenders. The first seven over three week and the last a month afterwards.
-there were initial issues of offenders not taking the course seriously and forgetting routines e.g to bring a diary
-the final outcomes were positive. Offenders reported increased awareness of their anger management difficulties and increased capacity to exercise self-control.

Question 8

Ireland (2004)

Answer 8

-a natural experiment was conducted where 50 male prisoners who had completed an anger management course (CALM) were compared with a control group of 37 male prisoners who had not.
-after treatment, the prisoners who had completed CALM rated themselves lower on anger questionnaire and were rated lower on agression by the prison officers.
-92% of the treatment group showed improvements in their agression levels.