The Anger Management Project: A group intervention for anger in people with physical and multiple disabilities

A cluster randomised controlled trial of a manualised cognitive behavioural anger management intervention delivered by supervised lay therapists to people with intellectual disabilities

“…Table 2 shows the effect sizes obtained in these studies. All studies, bar two, reported large or very large effect sizes (mean d = 1.19); in the two studies in which only a medium-sized effect (< 0.8) was reported immediately post treatment, 11,42 the effect of the intervention subsequently increased at longer-term follow-up. Similar effect sizes were found for group (n = 10 studies; d = 1.15) and individual (n = 2 studies; d = 1.38) formats, and for self-ratings (n = 9 studies; d = 1.13) and carer ratings (n = 3 studies; d = 1.38).…”

“…Positive results were reported for two interventionscognitive reappraisal and problem-solving -but few further details are available. participants 39,41,42 (although this has been disputed), 49 and in participants who are accompanied to the group by a carer. 39,41 There is evidence that 'paraprofessionals', working under supervision following minimal training, can deliver effective manualised CBT.…”

“…6. Several studies, including some of the largest, 43,44 did not include a long-term follow-up, and with few exceptions 11,16,42 studies that did include long-term follow-up followed up only the intervention group, not the control subjects. 35 using the following two sets of search terms: (1) (anger or aggression) and [(learning or intellectual) and (disability or disabilities)) or (mental retardation)] and (2) (anger or aggression) and cognitive and (behaviour or behaviour) and therapy.…”

“…2. Only two studies 39,42 used randomised allocation to groups, and one of these 39 was extremely small. 3.…”

An Informant Report Behavior Diary for Measuring Temper Outbursts in an Intervention Setting

“…One of the few fields that has systematically developed self-report scales for individuals with intellectual disabilities is the study of anger (a specific negative emotion), and these have generally comprised three or four rating points (Hagiliassis, Gulbenkoglu, Di Marco, Young & Hudson, 2005;Novaco & Taylor, 2008;Rose et al, 2013;Rose, 2013). Of interest for future research is whether an optimal number of rating points for self-report scales can be ascertained in relation to measured characteristics of a group of participants.…”