Anger management - AO1 Flashcards
What do anger management programmes (CBT) involve?
- Identifying the signs that trigger anger
- Learning techniques to maintain calm and deal with a given situation in a positive way
What is the aim of anger management?
Not to prevent anger but to recognise and manage it.
Anger management can be offered in prison to encourage self-awareness and facilitate rehabilitation.
What did Novaco suggest?
Novaco (1975) suggested that cognitive factors trigger the emotional arousal (anger) which generally precedes aggressive acts
Offenders often have cognitive distortions, including hostile attribution bias
What is hostile attribution bias?
The tendency to judge ambiguous situations, or the actions of others, as aggressive and/or threatening when in reality they may not be
What is a short term aim?
Reducing anger and aggression in prisons
What is a long term aim?
Rehabilitation and reduction of recidivism
What are the three stages of anger management?
Cognitive preparation
Skills acquisition
Application practice
calm people should avoid angry people
What happens in cognitive preparation?
- Reflects on past experiences
- Identify patterns and triggers
- If interpretation is irrational, therapist will offer rational interpretation
What happens in skills acquistion?
Offenders learn a range of techniques and skills
- Cognitive: Positive self-talk to encourage calmness
- Behavioural: Assertiveness training
- Physiological: Methods of relaxation or meditation
Deal with anger-provoking situations more rationally
What happens in application practice?
- Opportunity to practice skills with therapist
- Carefully monitored environment
- Role play: re-enact angry scenarios
- Give positive reinforcement if remain calm
- The offender needs to commit and treat the scenario as real and the therapist has to be brave!
