Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-88psn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-20T11:07:25.219Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Developing a brief tool for anger assessment in clinical settings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Brian Merriman ,
Suzanne Guerin ,
Fiona Horgan  and
Brian Maguire
Brian Merriman*
Affiliation:
Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
Suzanne Guerin
Affiliation:
UCD School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Ireland
Fiona Horgan
Affiliation:
St John of God Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Brian Maguire
Affiliation:
Cluain Mhuire Community Mental Health Service, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Correspondence Email: brian@merrimanresearch.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: To develop and validate a new brief assessment tool for anger in clinical settings at the Cluain Mhuire Acute Day Hospital.

Methods: The Cluain Mhuire Clinical Anger Scale (CMCAS) was developed using mixed methods including content analysis of interviews with five clients and six clinicians and qualitative item analysis of nine existing assessment tools. An initial 16-item scale was completed by 112 clients of a psychiatric day hospital and a nonclinical comparison group (n = 76).

Results: Psychometric analysis found that the CMCAS consisted of one 12-item factor with good internal reliability (α = 0.82, n = 178) and good test-retest reliability (r = 0.93, n = 12) and converged with scores on STAXI-2. It distinguished between a sub-group referred for an anger management programme and matched groups from non-anger clinical and non-clinical samples (F(2) = 18.13; p < .01).

Conclusions: Findings suggest the CMCAS may be useful in clinical settings as a screening and assessment tool.

Keywords

AngerScreeningSelf-assessment

Information

Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , March 2011 , pp. 13 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1.Spielberger, CD. State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, research edition: Professional manual. Odessa, Fl.: Psychological Assessment Resources, 1999.Google Scholar
2.Novaco, RW. Anger control: The development of an experimental treatment. Lexington, KY: Lexington, 1975.Google Scholar
3.Gainotti, G. Neurological theories of emotion. In: Borod, JC, editor. The neuropsychology of emotion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000: 214–237.Google Scholar
4.Kemp, S, Strongman, KT. Anger theory and management: a historical analysis. Am J Psychol 1995; 108: 397–417.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Cummins, P. The experience of anger. In: Winter, DA, Viney, L, editors. Personal construct psychotherapy: Advances in theory, practice and research. London: Wiley, 2005: 239–255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Novaco, RW, Welsh, WN. Anger disturbances: Cognitive mediation and clinical prescriptions. In: Howells, K, Hollin, CR, eds. Clinical Approaches to Violence. Chicester: Wiley, 1989: 39–60.Google Scholar
7.Faupel, A, Henrick, E, Sharp, P. Anger management: A practical guide. London: Fulton, 1999.Google Scholar
8.Allport, FH. Social psychology. London: Routledge, 1994.Google Scholar
9.Blackburn, R. Psychopathology and personality disorder in relation to violence. In: Howells, K, Hollin, CR, eds. Clinical Approaches to Violence. Chicester: Wiley, 1989: 61–70.Google Scholar
10.Deffenbacher, JL, Oetting, ER, Lynch, RS, Morris, CD. The expression of anger and its consequences. Behav Res Ther 1996; 34: 575–590.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Eckhardt, CI, Norlander, B, Deffenbacher, J. The assessment of anger and hostility: A critical review. Aggress Violent Behav 2004; 9: 17–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Lazarus, RS. Thoughts on the relations between emotion and cognition. Am Psychol 1982; 37: 1019–1024.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Novaco, RW. The functions and regulation of the arousal of anger. Am J Psychiat 1976; 133: 1124–1128.Google ScholarPubMed
14.Eckhardt, CI, Deffenbacher, JL. Diagnosis of anger disorders. In: Kassinove, H, editor. Anger Disorders: Definition, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Washington: Taylor & Francis, 1995: 27–47.Google Scholar
15.Tangney, JP, Hill-Barlow, D, Wagner, PEet al.Assessing individual differences in constructive versus destructive responses to anger across the lifespan. J Pers Soc Psychol 1996; 70: 780–796.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed. text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.Google Scholar
17.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994.Google Scholar
18.Robbins, PR. Anger, aggression and violence: An interdisciplinary approach. Jefferson: McFarland, 2000.Google Scholar
19.Suinn, RM. The terrible twos – anger and anxiety. Am Psychol 2001; 56: 27–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Anthony, JC, Folstein, M, Romanoski, AJet al.Comparison of the lay Diagnostic Interview Schedule and a standardised psychiatric diagnosis: Experience in eastern Baltimore. Arch Gen Psychiat 1985; 42: 667–675.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.First, MB, Spitzer, RL, Gibbon, M, Williams, JBW. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (Axis 1 Disorders – Patient Edition [SCID-I/P, V. 2.0 4/97 revision). New York: Biometrics Research Department, 1996.Google Scholar
22.Spielberger, CD. State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, research edition: Professional manual. Odessa, Fl: Psychological Assessment Resources, 1988.Google Scholar
23.Novaco, RW. Anger as a risk factor for violence among the mentally disordered. In: Monahan, J, Steadman, HJ, eds. Violence and mental disorder: Developments in risk assessment. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1994: 21–59.Google Scholar
24.Taylor, JL, Novaco, RW, Guinan, C, Street, N. Development of an Imaginal Provocation Test to evaluate treatment for anger problems in people with intellectual disabilities. Clin Psychol Psychother 2004; 11: 233–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25.DePasquale, JP, Geller, ES, Clarke, SW, Littleton, LC. Measuring road rage: Development of the Propensity for Angry Driving Scale. J Safety Res 2001; 32: 1–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Buss, AH, Perry, M. The Aggression Questionnaire. J Pers Soc Psychol 1992; 63: 452–459.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Evans, DR, Strangeland, M. Development of the reaction inventory to measure anger. Psychol Rep 1971; 21: 412–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Spielberger, CD, Reheiser, EC, Sydeman, SJ. Measuring the experience, expression, and control of anger. In: Kassinove, H, editor. Anger disorders: definition, diagnosis, and treatment. Washington: Taylor & Francis, 1995: 49–67.Google Scholar
29.Biaggio, MK, Supplee, K, Curtis, N. Reliability and validity of four anger scales. J Pers Assess 1981; 45: 639–648.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30.Hassiotis, A, Hall, I. Behavioural and cognitive-behavioural interventions for outwardly-directed aggressive behaviour in people with learning disabilities. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD003406.pub2. DOI:10.1002/14651858. CD003406.Google Scholar
31.Eckhardt, CI, Cohen, DJ. Attention to anger-relevant and irrelevant stimuli following naturalistic insult. Pers Individ Dif 1997; 23: 619–629.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32.del Barrio, V, Aluja, A, Speilberger, C. Anger assessment with the STAXI-CA: psychometric properties of a new instrument for children and adolescents. Pers Individ Dif 2004; 37: 227–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33.Miguel-Tobal, JJ, Casado, MI, Cano-Vindel, A. Versión española del STAXI-2 ]Spanishversion of STAXI-2]. Madrid, Spain: TEA, 2001.Google Scholar
34.Merriman, B, Guerin, S. Developing the Cluain Mhuire Acute Day Hospital Clinical Anger Scale (CMCAS). Paper at 36th Annual Conference of the Psychological Society of Ireland. 2005 Nov 17-20; Derry, Northern Ireland.Google Scholar
35.Guyatt, GH, Bombardier, C, Tugwell, X. Measuring disease-specific quality of life in clinical trials. Can Med Assoc J 1986; 134: 889–895.Google ScholarPubMed
36.Guerin, S, Hennessy, E. Pupils' definitions of bullying (Les définitions du mot brimade selon les élèves). Eur J Psychol Educ 2002; 17: 249–261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37.Breakwell, GM, Hammond, S, Fife-Shaw, C. Research methods in psychology. London: Sage, 2000.Google Scholar
38.Buss, AH, Durkee, A. An inventory for assessing different kinds of hostility. J Consult Psychol 1957; 21: 343–349.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
39.Gladue, BA. Qualitative and quantitative sex differences in self-reported aggressive behaviour characteristics. Psychol Rep 1991; 68: 675–684.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
40.Green, RT, Santori, G. A cross-cultural study of hostility and aggression. J Peace Res 1969; 1: 13–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
41.Lehrer, PM, Woolfolk, RL. Somatic, Cognitive and Behavioural Anxiety Inventory (SCBAI). In: Fischer, J, Corcoran, K, eds. Measures for Clinical Practice: A Sourcebook. 2nd ed, Vol 2. New York: Free Press, 1994: 793–798.Google Scholar
42.Eckhardt, CI. Articulated irrational thoughts in maritally violent men. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences & Engineering 1995; 55(7-B): 3010.Google Scholar
43.SPSS Inc. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (Version 12.0.1) [Computer software]. Chicago: Author. 2003.Google Scholar
44.Gaynor, K. Continuum, cognitive functioning and CBT in psychosis [dissertation]. Dublin, Ireland: University College Dublin; 2006.Google Scholar
45.de Vaus, D. Surveys in social research. 5th ed. London: Taylor & Francis, 2007.Google Scholar