Anger Management Content

Question 1

What are the General short and long term aims of anger management programmes in prison?

Answer 1

Short-term: to prevent a more serious issue as Novaco described prisons as ‘anger factories’ due to their social climate where there is overcrowding and violent inmates. In prisons, anger is almost inevitable to build up so it is important to tackle any anger immediately

Long-term: rehabilitation and reducing recidivism

Question 2

How is anger management a cognitive way of dealing with offenders?

Answer 2

. The aim of anger management is the way a person handles and reacts to their anger and aggression. It is true that a prisoners situation won’t change but the way they perceive and think about it can change, which can challenge negative thoughts and change behaviour.

Question 3

What were Novaco (2011) 3 aims of anger management programmes?

Answer 3

. Cognitive restructuring - creating greater self-awareness and control over the cognitive basis of their anger
. Regulation of arousal - learning to control the physiological state while angry
. Behavioural strategies -

Question 4

What therapy approach did Novaco introduce to anger management programmes which are heavily used in prisons today?

Answer 4

Stress inoculation therapy - providing a vaccination against ‘future’ bad behaviours (creating ways of dealing with anger so when you face it again, you can fight it)

Question 5

What are the three stages in Novaco’s anger management stress inoculation model?

Answer 5

1. Cognitive preparation - identifying how their anger works and is triggered
2. Skill acquisition - skills to help manage anger
3. Application training - putting the skills into practice in controlled environments so it is not scary in real world

Question 6

What is learnt in the cognitive preparation phase of the stress inoculation model?

Answer 6

. About anger generally
. How anger can be adaptive and maladaptive (towards or against goals)
. Analyse own patterns of behaviour
. Identity situations that trigger your anger

Question 7

What skills are learnt during the skill acquisition stage of the stress inoculation model?

Answer 7

. Relaxation - deep-breathing techniques
. Cognitive flexibility (being able to ‘let it slide’)
. Better communication skills to resolve conflicts sensibly and safely

Question 8

How are the skills applied in the last stage of the stress inoculation model?

Answer 8

Application environment must be controlled and non-threatening
. Role-plays of previously angering situations
. Therapists and other group members give lots of feedback to tweak skills
. Can be used in the real world by the end

Question 9

In anger management, how many people usually take part in stress inoculation therapy?

Answer 9

. Usually with a group of offenders in prison or outside, if on probation period

Question 10

How is anger management similar to CBT?

Answer 10

It utilises a cognitive therapy approach (reducing an emotional response) by creating a new perception of anger using behavioural therapy (changing the behaviours triggered in response to the emotions and beliefs of anger)