A Structural Analysis of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory

Abstract

The State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) is a relatively new, 44-item instrument designed to measure anger as a situational emotional response (state) and as a predispositional quality (trait). The STAXI also contains three scales designed to assess three different dimensions of the expression of anger: (a) Anger-In, (b) Anger-Out, and (c) Anger-Control. This study was designed to examine the factor structure of the STAXI. A sample of 455 college students were administered the instrument, and a principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation was performed for the 44 items. Additionally, coefficient alpha for each scale and scale intercorrelations are reported. The results of the factor analysis are similar to the scale structure claimed for this instrument.

Examining Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Dating Violence Victimization and Anger in College Students

“…Anger-In refers to how anger is suppressed (e.g., "I keep things in"), whereas Anger-Out measures how anger is expressed toward other people or objects (e.g., "I strike out at whatever infuriates me"). The measure demonstrates adequate internal consistency reliability and good construct validity (Spielberger, Sydeman, Owen, & Marsh, 1999), and a series of factor analyses has supported the subscale structure of the instrument (Fuqua, Leonard, Masters, & Smith, 1991;Spielberger, 1988;Van der Ploeg, 1988). For the present sample, coefficient alphas were as follows: State Anger 5 .88, Trait Anger 5 .83, Anger-In 5 .79, and Anger-Out 5 .75.…”

The role of defense mechanisms in the modulation of anger experience and expression: Gender differences and influence on self-report measures

“…The factor structure of the STAXI, as reported by Spielberger (1988), has received strong empirical support in many studies (Fuqua et al, 1991;Spielberger, Reheiser, & Sydeman, 1995). Internal consistency coefficients for the scales and the sub-scales range from .70 to .90 indicating a strong relationship among the items of the scales.…”

The German Translation of the Novaco Anger Scale and Provocation Inventory (Ger - NAS-PI)

“…The STAXI, and the revised State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory -2 (STAXI-2; Spielberger 1999), represent the most widely used anger measures in both clinical and research settings (del Barrio et al 2004;Novaco and Taylor 2004). The original STAXI has shown good internal consistency (Bishop and Quah 1998), strong intercorrelations (Dalton, Blain, and Bezier 1998), as well as a reliably confirmed factor structure (Forgays et al 1998;Fuqua et al 1991). The use of the STAXI has been documented in diverse populations in countries including China (Bishop and Quah 1998), Germany (Müller, Bongard, Heiligtag, and Hodapp 2001), Italy (Comunian 1992), Russia (Kassiove et al 1997, andIndia (Ghosh andSharma 2006).…”