Factor Structure of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory for Middle-Aged Men and Women

Abstract

Recently, Forgays, Forgays, and Spielberger (in press) reported the first exploratory factor analysis of the total 44-item State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) by gender. The analyses were based on a sample of over 700 male and female university students and identified quite well six of the original STAXI scales and subscales. In addition, a seventh factor, "Feel-Like-Expressing-Anger," emerged for women. In the present study, we examined the STAXI responses from a middle-aged adult population. Exploratory factor analyses replicated the majority of the original structure of the STAXI measure including a Feel-Like-Expressing-Anger factor for men and women. In addition, we employed confirmatory factor analyses and cross-validation procedures to test the validity of Spielberger's (1988) AHA! model. Based on these procedures, we found (a) that a seven-factor model provided a better fit than a six-factor solution for each gender and (b) evidence of robust gender differences for two factors: Feel-Like-Expressing-Anger and State Anger. These gender differences are consistent with the social costs for anger expression in women and the social benefits for men.

Application of the Spielberger's State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory in clinical patients

“…We found no difference in scores by gender, similar to the Russian results 17 . However, our data was different from previous studies in American adults on Trait/Anger 16 and the first Brazilian sample on Anger/In 13 that showed slightly higher values for men compared to women. In our findings some items of the State/Anger (5, 7, and 8) and Anger/ Control (21, 24, 31, 35, and 38) presented lower correlation with the total construct, but they did not affect the overall construct.…”

“…Although its psychometric properties had already been assessed for Brazilian college students and Navy recruits 13 , the present factor analysis have showed construct validity close to the Spielberger's original theoretical ground of anger psychopathology. Previous American 15,16 and Russian 17 studies found that STAXI is a consistent instrument. Similarly to the Spielberger's State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory application Azevedo et al…”

“…Previous factor analyses had yielded slight different structures 13,[15][16][17] . This could be explained by different factor extraction, retention criteria, and sample selection.…”

“…This could be explained by different factor extraction, retention criteria, and sample selection. The American study had extracted seven factors, but the Trait/Anger was lacking, because this dimension was included in the factor of temperament and reaction of anger 16 . The Russian study have also extracted seven factors, in which the sixth and seventh factors represented Anger/ In dimension.…”

Workplace Anger as a Personal and Behavioural Response to Psychosocial and Situational Characteristics of Work Environment: An Appraisal of Social Cognitive Theory

“…Anger has also been discussed as either a "state" or a "trait" (e.i. Spielberger and Sydeman, 1994;Forgays, Spielberger, Ottaway, and Forgays, 1998) suggesting that "personality factors" as well as temporary states are factors in anger (Klein, 2011).…”