Anger management Flashcards
Define anger managment:
Therapeutic programme involved in identifying signs that trigger anger + learnign techniques to calm down.
Offered in prison to encoursage self-awareness + facilitate rehab
How is anger management a form of CBT?
Novaco (1975)
Suggests cogntivie factirs trigger emotional arousal –> aggressive acts
Anger reinforced by individuals feeling of control in situagtions
Taught to recognise cognitive factors triggering anger + loss of control
–> encouraged to develop techniques: conflict resolution w/o violence.
What are the 3 stages of anger management?
Calm People Should Avoid Angry People
Cognitive Preparation
Skills Aquisition
Application Practice
What is cognitive preparation?
Offender reflects on past experience + considers typical pattern of anger
Learns to identify those situations which act as trigger
HAB = irrational –> therapist attempts to break autonomic thoughts
What is skill acquisition?
Range of techniques + skills to help deal with anger-provoking situations more rationally.
Cognitive –> positive self talk -> calmness
Behavioural –> assertiveness training (set boundaries)
Physiological –>relaxation techniques
What is application practice?
Role play variety of scenarios –> practice new skills to control anger
Controlled environment
–> successful = positive reinforcement
Research support:
Keen et al (2000)
–> studied progress made with young offenders aged 17-21
National anger management package trialled in 🏴+🏴
Initially = not taken seriously + forgetting routine
Final outcomes = success
–> high levels of self-control + increased awareness after course
Better than behaviour modification
Benefits more long-term
Tackles cause of offending –> cognitive process triggering anger.
Behaviour moification only deals with surface behaviour
Allow offenders to self-discover ways of managing themselves outside prison settings
–> permenant behavioural change
COUNTERPOINT:
Follow up studies not support assumption
Blackburn (1993): little evidence in reducing recidivism rates long term.
Application relies on role play–> might not reflect all possible triggers present in real-world situation.
:( individual differences
Howells et al (2005) conducted investigation with 🇦🇺 offenders
Anger management = little impact compared to control group.
Significant progess made for some –> highly motivated for change ‘treatment readiness’
Only benefits certain profiles.
:( Expensive
Expensive to run
Require services of highly trained specialists –> used to dealing with violent offenders.
–> many prisons = no funds
Succes based on committment –> problem if prisoners apatheic/uncooperative.
–> adds to expense
Not likely to work in most prisons
Corelation between anger + offending
Suggests straightforward causal relationship between anger + offending.
HOWEVER: Loza + Loza-Fanous (1999) found no difference in levels of anger between offenders classed as violent vs non-violent.
Unlikely financial crimes fuelled by anger.
Top down approach –> organised = calm
Anger management = provides justification for behaviour.
.: programme = unnecessary when tackling crime
