Anger management techniques and strategies

Anger Management for Students in Schools

Tom Mashberg writes about teens who meet once a week in Boston MA to address the explosive anger they have inside them in his newspaper article: "Breaking chains of anger challenges teens in therapy." (Mashberg, 2000, ¶ 1) Jesska, 13, carries Bic lighters with her and burns herself, along with other things. She was arrested and ordered to attend anger management classes, after she threatened to burn down her school. (Mashberg, 2000, ¶ 2) Masheberg relates several other teens anger-related stories, including the one about George, 13, who knifed another kid who insulted him. Stephen, 16, assaulted his father and brothers and said he could not take it any more... all the constant arguing and screaming in his house. Nicki, 14, beat on another girl with a kitchen knife handle after she said something, "stuff," about Nicki's mom. (Mashberg, 2000, ¶ 3-5) Although today's headline repeatedly note stories such as Mashberg cites, not all angry teens are afforded the opportunity to attend anger management classes. These teens, he writes about, along with 5 others, were sentenced to the teen version of anger management to hopefully learn to manage their explosive anger and, in turn, display more "civilized" behaviors. (Mashberg, 2000, ¶ 6) Since this program four years ago, teens have been sentenced to learn specific skills, such as apologizing for the wrong they did; listening to what other have to say, instead of interrupting them. The recidivism rate for kids who completed an anger-management class dropped to 30% in 1999, while other areas in the state averaged 50. (Mashberg, 2000, ¶ 9-10) Another writer, Sue Schultz (2001), author of the newspaper article: "Teens Learn Anger Management; a Nonprofit Group Works With Teens to Find Less Violent Means of Solving Conflicts," teens participating in, also reports positive aspects of anger management. "The Wright Focus Group" targets youths 8 to 18 years old. Youth in the group discuss the negative health effects they may experience from anger and stress, along with learning positive ways to work through and control their anger. (Schultz, 2001, ¶ 8, 14 & 16) Donna Thomas, an independent group facilitator, reminds teen anger management participants that anger is normal and that human beings regularly get angry. She stresses, however, that if anger is not managed and/or controlled, it may get out of hand and people get hurt. (Schultz, 2001, ¶ 5)

Schools are going to be stressing the courses with younger students in the future to help prevent some of the violence," (Schultz, 2001, ¶ 7) the group workshops started in response to a communitywide survey after adults recognized problems youth were experiencing with their anger. (Schultz, 2001, ¶ 9-10)

Statement of the Problem

Anger Management Workshop Aims to Help Students Stop the Violence," the title of the newspaper article Stephanie a. Crockett, (1999), a staff writer for the Virginian Pilot wrote, aptly reflects the problem statement for this research proposal: Today's news headlines reporting daily incidents of angry display, which too often turn into violence by youth, confirm the need for an anger management program in Davy Crockett's (fictitious name) urban high school. During December of 1999, after engaging in an "alleged fight," Antwan E. Merritt, an 18-year-old from Portsmouth died when he "fell" from the eighth floor of his dormitory window at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C.. (Crockett, 1999, ¶ 3) Following this young man's death, Portsmouth Better Beginnings Coalition began hosting an anger management workshop. (Crockett, 1999, ¶ 1)

Potential Benefits of the Intervention

Stephanie a. Crockett, newspaper article, noted in the introductory chapter of this research project relates that Clifford Barnett, pastor of Brighton Rock AME Zion Church, a co-sponsor of the workshop, states: "Enough is enough. Bottom line is, it's enough." (Crockett, 1999, ¶ 6) Approximately five panelists work with youth teach them the SODA concept, a four-step way to help prevent violent behavior: "Stop. Observe. Decide. Act.

Crockett, 1999, ¶ 7-9) the workshop, like Crockett's article, aims to educate parents, guardians, grandparents, along with other adults who care about teens. (Crockett, 1999, ¶ 15) the goal Crockett (1999, ¶ 18) reports, is to open lines of communication with teens so parents and other will begin to hear what youth think and have to say. (Crockett, 1999, ¶ 19) the hope this article posits, is that adults will begin to control their own anger, and in turn, help teens begin to lean positive ways to manage their anger. (Crockett, 1999, ¶ 17)

This research proposal posits that the potential benefit for the suggested intervention is that participating individuals, such as those Crockett writes about, will say, "Enough is enough," and begin to amend the wrongs brought about through out-of-control anger.

Overview of the Project

II. Literature Review

Real Life Looks

Concept from Janet Bode's latest book, Hard Time: A Real Life Look at Juvenile Crime and Violence, co-authored with Stun Mack, a reporter and cartoonist, portrays points this researcher contends can be attributed to unchecked anger. In turn, this literature shares "real life" looks at this contemporary concern. Bode also authored several nonfiction books for and about teenagers,.".. including Heartbreak and Roses: Real Life Stories of Troubled Love, the Voices of Rape: Healing the Hurt, and New Kids on the Block: Oral Histories of Immigrant Teens. In her article, "Our collective responsibility: programs across the country reach out to hardened adolescents, Bode (1997, Ibid, ¶ 1) states: "Juveniles are often influenced by persuasive and misguided adults," a factor frequently contributing to anger management concerns. Bode (1997, Ibid, ¶ 29) presents positive perceptions through the course of her article and contends, "As long as people say crime and violence are beyond our control, that there's no solution, we give ourselves permission to walk away... We've got to know whom we're dealing with in order to arrive at a truce."

In her article, published on the Web: "Get Psyched TEENS," Diane Litynski, PhD (2002, ¶ 1) states, "The irony of anger is that, on the one hand, its job is to protect, but on the other hand, when its uncontrolled and held inside without an outlet, anger can destroy." Litynski (Ibid, ¶ 2) notes that when anger is experienced, adrenaline and noradrenaline are released into the systems of the perpetrator (person displaying anger), as well as the victim (individual who receives anger). Physical symptoms of anger or what Litynski deems to be:

energy buid-up," include an increase in heart rate; muscle constriction; increase in blood pressure. To reduce "it," anger's energy level, in positive ways, a person may utilize one or more of three primary techniques:

Express it

2. Suppress it

3. Redirect it (Litynski, 2002, ¶ 3)

When not controlled or managed, Litynski (2002, ¶ 2) warns,.".. dysfunctional behavior occurs - drug abuse, eating disorders, domestic violence, even suicide and homicide." (Litynski, 2002, ¶ 2) Her article, addressed to the general population, particularly teens, presents plain, pertinent points relating to ways to manage anger, which this researcher posits are also applicable to the focus for this paper:

Anger Management? Litynski (2002, ¶ 6) relates several exercises that may be used in an anger management group settings, when working with adolescents. She encourages readers to express their anger in positive ways and reminds them that doing so is important to a person's health. (Litynski, 2002, ¶ 10) When adolescents learn to confront and address their anger in healthy ways, they learn to.".. make sense of and manage anger long before it escalates to more serious forms of anger, which may include aggression." Golden (2003, p. 4) argues that utilizing this positive psychology practice emphasizes and fosters skills' development and increases knowledge. Golden (2003, p. 4) contends that: "Healthy anger management is based on the following key guiding principles. (Golden, 2003, p. 4)

1. Anger is a natural human emotion.

2. Anger varies in intensity and duration.

3. Anger is often a reaction to other emotions.

4. Anger is a reaction to emotions and thoughts within us.

5. Anger really tells us more about our own wants and needs than about the person or situation that may lead to our anger.

6. The emotion of anger is distinct from the behavioral expression of anger.

7. As we increase our awareness of thoughts and emotions leading up to anger, we gain increased freedom to choose how we express anger.

8. Healthy anger management is based on specific skills that can be taught.

9. Healthy anger management is based on being able to flexibly choose from a variety of anger management strategies.

10. Real intimacy grows with an increased ability to share anger and other emotions.

11. Healthy anger management involves being able to let go of anger.

12. Learning theory and skills concerning anger management is an essential component for healthy emotional well-being.

Golden, 2003, pp. 4-5)

Healthy or Not?

Unlike healthy anger management, Golden (2003, p. 5) stresses in his book, Healthy Anger: How to Help Children and Teens Manage Their Anger, in unhealthy anger management, a person frequently attempts to mask his/her feelings, as well as deny or try to avoid admitting anger. Consequently, aggression and/or hostility may arise. Golden presents practical technique, along with his anger management model, to help group leaders, parents, and others interested in helping teens learn to manage their anger in positive ways. He stresses: "... anger is not an experience that occurs in isolation. Rather, it occurs in the context of an individual's personality. As such, it is influenced by needs, attitudes, perceptions, and emotions. (Golden, 2003, p. 5)

In the short review, "Anger management class ends in melee," (2004) published in Curriculum Review, an unidentified staff writer reports an incident that mirrors the need for counters to today's anger concerns:

an anger-management workshop at Baltimore's Woodlawn High end in a brawl involving parents and 750 students. As several students modeled conflict-resolution tactics onstage during the assembly, a parent accused a group of teens in the audience of harassing her child. The accusations led to a shoving match, and then things really got out of control. Police made two arrests in connection with the incident and 11 students faced suspensions, the Baltimore Sun reports. ("Anger management class," 2004, ¶ 1)

The comment, "People were... fighting about stupid stuff," ("Anger management class," 2004, ¶ 2)

Adult Therapy for Adolescents in his study, Cognitive Programs: Coming of Age in Corrections, Barry Glick, Ph.D., NCC, a national consultant on juvenile justice and youthful offenders in adult prisons, focuses primarily on therapy for adult criminals. Principals covered, albeit, also appear appropriate for adolescents and their challenges with anger management. Glick (2003, ¶ 1) discusses two theoretical foundations, aptly-researched with "rich" program implementation. He notes that "Aron Beck, a psychiatrist working with the mentally ill, first introduced cognitive restructuring." Cognitive restructuring, Glick, (2003, ¶ 1) explains constitutes a process where individuals are instructed to assess their personal feelings, thoughts, attitudes and beliefs to identify new thinking, in turn reducing their risk behaviors.

Albert Ellis, who developed the initial implementation of Beck's influential work, introduced Rational Behavior Therapy (RET), a theory which applies Beck's cognitive process to an individual's behavior. This therapy is used regularly with students in school settings. RET, a structured process helps individuals rationally deal with problems which "live' within their affective domain. (Glick, 2003, ¶ 1) (Glick, 2003, ¶ 3) relates information related to Cognitive kills Programs, citing Albert Bandura."..as the father of the cognitive skills programs, which are based on his work in social learning." Bandura purposed that individuals learn as they model what they view others do and, in turn acquire skills by trying, through role-play situations, what they have seen.

Arnold P. Goldstein designed 60 skills' series to teach pro-social behaviors to deinstitutionalized mentally ill individuals and then his later work was applied to work with adolescents and included specific behavioral issues such as anger management. (Glick, 2003, ¶ 3-4)

Goldstein's cognitive skills principles were also applied to Donald Meichenbaum and Robert W. Novaco techniques to control angry outbursts in a variety of populations. Strategies to reduce anger included:

Deep breathing

Counting backward

Pleasant imagery. T

These principles and strategies were consequently included in programs dealing with aggression and violence. "Eva Feindler developed one such program at Hofstra University in New York.... An anger control program for preschool children who exhibited severe aggression and hostility." The Anger Behavior Cycle Feindler introduced served as a basis for helping children learn elements that comprise their anger. (Glick, 2003, ¶ 4)

Conflict Resolution

In the study completed by Christina J. Borbely, Julia a. Graber, Tracy Nichols, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Gilbert J. Botvin (2005), "Sixth Graders' Conflict Resolution in Role Plays with a Peer, Parent, and Teacher," the authors note that conflict situations for teens "can be particularly demanding because they require using multiple social skills simultaneously when the adolescent is personally invested in a social interaction." (Borbely, Graber, Nichols, Brooks-Gunn, & Botvin (2005), ¶ 1) Their investigation considers "the role of method, context, and social skills in adolescent conflict resolution." The authors' initial goal incorporated the development and coding of role play vignettes for various interpersonal contexts. Conflict situations included realistic interactions with a parent; peer; teacher and allowed the adolescent to experience normative interactions. (Borbely, Graber, Nichols, Brooks-Gunn, & Botvin (2005), ¶ 7) the authors contend their study:

Fills numerous vital gaps in the literature as it implements new measurement strategies for conflict resolution in the adolescent population.

Icludes numerous measures within each component.

Examines conflict resolution.".. across 3 separate contexts: peer conflict, parent conflict and teacher conflict.

Tests for factors possibly driving variations in conflict resolution. (Borbely, Graber, Nichols, Brooks-Gunn, & Botvin (2005), ¶ 15)

This study's results suggest the effective conflict resolution process is affected by the context in which it is measured. Different skills drive socially competent adolescent behavior in conflict situations depending on the nature of the interaction." Along with other cited recommendations, the measurement of conflict resolution, the authors contend, future research should examine the time line and development of the associations between social skills and conflict resolution. (Borbely, Graber, Nichols, Brooks-Gunn, & Botvin (2005, ¶ 58)

Wendy Mager, Richard Milich, Monica J. Harris and Anne Howard posit in their study, "Intervention Groups for Adolescents with Conduct Problems: Is Aggregation Harmful or Helpful," that a general consensus exists regarding small-group format for skills-training interventions proving more efficacious than individual training sessions. Social and emotional skills mastery through additional role-playing activities, modeling, and peer reinforcement of adaptive behavior opportunities are provided in these setting. Adding high-risk youth, nevertheless, may prove counterproductive due to their externalizing problems into pure treatment groups, a concern founded on the "acting out" nature of externalizing problems, along with the contributed value adolescents place on peers at this stage in their lives. (Mager, Milich, Harris & Howard, 2005, ¶ 1) Hypotheses for this study included:

1. The mixed-group condition will be more effective for high-risk youth than the pure-group condition;

2. intervention processes of peer modeling and reinforcement will be more adaptive in the mixed-group condition than in the pure-group condition; and 3. group processes will mediate the effects of group composition on outcomes. (Mager, Milich, Harris & Howard, 2005, ¶ 6)

Mager, Milich, Harris & Howard (2005, ¶ 6) stress that their study challenges a 1999 study noted in an American Psychologist article. This article reported supported a generally accepted notion, also popular among researchers and clinicians: "that group treatment for acting-out adolescents may be more harmful than helpful because it provides a forum for the youth to encourage and strengthen each other's anti-social tendencies." The authors for this study insist there is a dearth of strong empirical support regarding this hypothesis. (Mager, Milich, Harris & Howard (2005, ¶18) Numerous concerns regarding effective intervention with at-risk youth continue to challenge researchers. The surprising, significant results of this study, albeit, provide evidence.".. For the provocative suggestion that aggregating deviant adolescents in treatment groups may actually be more effective than conducting treatment groups consisting mostly of pro-social models. " Even though some risk exist, combining at-risk adolescents in group treatments does not constitute a scenario that is doomed to fail and/or spawn negative outcomes. (Mager, Milich, Harris & Howard (2005, ¶22)

Inconclusive Answers

Karl Kessler relates work titled, "Anger Management for Adolescents: Efficacy of Brief Group Therapy," that he and two other researchers completed. Dr. Karen V. Snyder, a Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry at New York Medical College, is also a psychologist for the Crisis Intervention Services, Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY.

Dr. Paul Kymissis is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Pediatrics; while Dr. Karl Kessler is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York Medical College. Kessler, Snyder, & Kymissis (1999, ¶ 1).".. investigate the efficacy of a brief, manual-based group therapy for adolescents with poor anger control" These researchers condensed an anger management treatment package, previously meeting for10 to 12 sessions, to a 2-week, 4-session package.

Fifty adolescent psychiatric inpatients, with high levels of anger, were selected and "randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions."

Questions addressed included:

Can adolescents acquire the skills for anger management when the intervention is condensed into a 4-session series?

Do these skills generalize to social situations in a meaningful way, and are they maintained?(Kessler, Snyder, & Kymissis (1999, ¶ 22)

The authors found the need exists for the generalization of skills to natural social settings and that ways to extract more generalization and maintenance information related to skills in the ensuring days; weeks; months following the treatment program. Support for the transfer of anger management skills into daily social interactions would prove helpful, the authors attest. Kessler, Snyder, & Kymissis (1999, ¶ 28)

Helping Youth Teach Themselves

The study, "Adolescents' accounts of growth experiences in youth activities," by Jodi B. Dworkin, Reed Larson, and David Hansen (2003, ¶ 28) reports their conclusions confirmed most of their expectations. Adolescents, these authors note: "portrayed themselves as the agents of their own development. Whether they were recounting processes of identity work, emotional growth, learning teamwork skills, or making connections with adults in the community, they described processes in which growth emanated from their own thoughts and actions, and from picking and choosing from what adults try to teach them." The fact that adolescents perceive themselves to be agents of their personal development, the primary proves critical as one for activity leaders. This study, suggests that particularly in high school age, leaders' focus might best be implemented by helping youth teach themselves. (Dworkin, Larson, & Hansen, 2003, ¶ 28)

Alternate Choices

A. Mark Amendola and Shana Scozzie, (2004, ¶ 1) authors of "Promising Strategies for Reducing Violence," address 6 models of programs purporting to reduce youth violence and aggression. Unchecked anger and "aggressive behavior, if left untreated, can have devastating effects on a child's overall success in school, work, social situations, and life as a whole.... The most promising results will come from those that are comprehensive, evidence-based, and serve to build positive skills and strengths in young persons. (Amendola & Scozzie, 2004¶ 7))

Six models presented in this study:

The Check and Connect Model: A continual K-12 intervention, which promotes student engagement with school.

Second Step: A Violence Prevention Curriculum, school-based for pre-school through junior high school students, focuses on "social skills and on altering attitudes and behaviors that lead to violence through empathy, impulse control, and anger management."

Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP): A school-based violence prevention program teaches students in middle and junior high schools how to use conflict resolution strategies and skills.

Family Function Therapy: An intervention model to help families and their children reduce delinquency; violence; drug and alcohol abuse through goal setting.

Positive Adolescent Choices Training (PACT): Offers social skills training, along with incorporating.".. several curricular elements from the Prothow-Stith Violence Prevention curriculum."

Aggression Replacement Training (ART): Recognized to be effective and used in numerous schools and treatment programs: ART's 3-part curriculum includes:

Social Skills Building/Skillstreaming. Leaders teach fifty positive social skills that can be used in place of aggressive acts.

Anger Control Training. "Youth learn how to maintain self-control when dealing with their anger or that of others. This includes an array of techniques like 'identifying triggers' or 'using self-evaluation.'"

Moral Reasoning. Youth assess and discuss fictional moral dilemmas regarding.".. fairness, justice, compassion, and concern for others' rights and responsibilities.." (Amendola & Scozzie, 2004¶ 3-10)

Brendan I. Koerner, author of "It may be all the rage, but does it work," relates a debate over the value of anger management program. (Koerner, 1999, ¶ 1) Koerner cites Pamela Stiebs Smith, a research specialist at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Stiebss, who completed studies on anger-management programs in the Madison, Wis., reportedly did not find adequate proof this type therapy proves useful. She concedes, however, classes "are a step in the right direction." Don Shive contributes a bit more positive preposition, but does guarantee his anger management classes are the ultimate answer. They are, he believes, "at least part of the solution. The pitch I give is, 'In 15 weeks, you will not leave here a changed person, but I hope you will leave here a changing person.' " (Koerner, 1999, ¶ 2) Koerner (1999, ¶ 4-11) relates several other "experts" who question anger management programs.

Steven Stosny, a Maryland therapist, similarly states skeptical thoughts about anger management. " He argues that teaching the potentially combustible to redirect their anger in nonharmful ways -- walking around the block, deep breathing, calling 'timeout' to leave a confrontation-- is a quick fix that glosses over deeper 'core hurts.'" Martin H. Levinson, PhD, author of many ETC articles, recently retired as director of PROJECT SHARE, a New York City school-based drug prevention program. Dr. Levinson also writes the ETC "Books" feature. In his article," Anger management and violence prevention: a holistic solution," he purports that though some benefit may evolve from numerous programs which teach youth how to express anger in socially acceptable ways, "anger produces changes in pulse, stomach acid secretions, and blood pressure. Anger can also weaken the body's immune system and make it more difficult to fight off diseases.." (Levinson, 2006, ¶ 2) Levinson (2006, ¶ 3-4; 7) relates two theories regarding anger in children: