Levels of Anger in Psychiatric Inpatients and Normal Subjects

Abstract

The mean anger scores of psychiatric inpatients (n = 110) on the State-Trait Anger Scale were compared with those of nonpatients (ns = 64 and 59). The inpatient group had significantly higher scores on the two measures of anger. No significant differences were found among the psychiatric diagnostic subgroups, but patients with affective disorders had scores much lower than individuals with personality disorders. Relatively high reliability was found for the trait-anger scores of psychiatric patients taken one year apart.

Anger Assessment in Clinical and Nonclinical Populations: Further Validation of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2

“…Finally, our study provides information about differences between clinical and nonclinical samples regarding the experience and management of anger. First, our study replicates previous studies showing that patients tend to experience anger more intensely and more frequently than people from the general population and are more inclined to express their anger both outwardly by means of physically and verbally aggressive behavior and inwardly by suppressing anger or holding anger in (Barbour et al., ; Cullari, ; De‐Mojá & Spielberger, ; Etzler et al., ; Spielberger, ). Notably, no differences were found between patients and the general population sample regarding the control of anger.…”

“…One study of Cullari () showed that psychiatric outpatients scored higher on the State and Trait anger scales compared with normal subjects, but it did not include the expression scales. Another study, by Etzler, Rohrmann, and Brandt (), showed higher scores on Anger Expression‐In for inmates compared with the mean of the German standardization sample.…”

“…Finally, De‐Mojá and Spielberger () showed higher scores on State Anger, Trait Anger, and Anger Out and lower scores on Anger Control for heroin‐dependent drug users compared with a nondrug‐using matched control group using the STAXI. Although there are several studies showing higher experience and expression of anger for clinical patients compared with healthy nonclinical subjects (Barbour et al., ; Cullari, ; De‐Mojá & Spielberger, ; Etzler et al., ), most of them used the STAXI instead of the STAXI‐2. Because the STAXI‐2 is more detailed in measuring the control of anger, using the STAXI‐2 might provide extra information about the differences in the control over anger between clinical populations and nonclinical populations.…”

Affective Dimensions of the Phenomenon of Double Bookkeeping in Delusions

“…For instance, in people with schizophrenia, negative self-evaluation is correlated with more severe positive symptoms (Barrowclough et al, 2003). In people with delusions, distress is correlated with the severity of the delusions (Lysaker, Lancaster, Nees, & Davis, 2003) and high levels of anger are often recorded (Cullari, 1994; Siris, 1995). More recently, Freeman and Garety (2003) have challenged the accepted view and suggested that emotions directly cause delusions.…”

Predictors and mediators of trait anger across the psychosis continuum: The role of attachment style, paranoia and social cognition

“…High levels of anger are reported in schizophrenia (Cullari, 1994) and anger is associated with poorer outcomes including violence and aggression (Fassino et al, 2009). Despite the importance of anger in understanding outcomes and risk in psychosis, it is under researched.…”