Anger management - Dealing with offending behaviour

Question 1

Define the term “Anger management”

Answer 1

A form of cognitive behavioural therapy specific to changing the way a person manages their anger. Techniques include cognitive restructuring, skill acquisition and behavioural training.

Question 2

Define the term “CBT”

Answer 2

A combination of cognitive therapy (changing maladaptive thoughts and beliefs) and behavioural therapy (a way of changing behaviour in response to these thoughts and beliefs).

Question 3

What is the short term aims for anger management?

Answer 3

Reduce anger

Aggression

Question 4

What is the long term aims for anger management?

Answer 4

Rehabilitation - The process of helping a person who has suffered an illness or injury restore lost skills and so regain maximum self-sufficiency.
Reduction of recidivism - the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.

Question 5

State the 3 key aims identified by Novaco (2011) for any manger management

Answer 5

• Cognitive restructuring
• Regulation of arousal
• Behavioural strategies

Question 6

Briefly describe the term “cognitive restructuring”

Answer 6

greater self awareness and control over cognitive dimensions of anger

Question 7

Briefly describe the term “regulation of arousal”

Answer 7

learning to control the physiological state

Question 8

Briefly describe the term “behavioural strategies”

Answer 8

problem solving skills
strategic withdrawal
assertiveness

Question 9

Staten and describe the 3 steps of the stress inoculation by Novaco

Answer 9

1 - Cognitive preparation: Clients learn about anger, analyse their own patterns and situations which provoke anger
2 - Skill acquisition: Taught skills to help reduce their anger, such as self regulation, relaxation and cognitive flexibility. Better communication skills so can resolve conflict through this
3 - Application training:Clients apply newly learned skills to role play situations. They receive extensive feedback from therapist and group members. Can try in real world settings later.

Question 10

Give an example of anger management programmes with offenders

Answer 10

• Jane Ireland (2004) assessed anger management of 87 young male offenders.
• Used baseline measure assessing pre-intervention anger (using a self report questionnaire). Each participant was also assessed by prison officers.
• Experimental group of 50 took part in the treatment programme while the other 37 were placed on a waiting list. (12 one hour sessions over 3 days)
• After all participants were reassessed, there was improvements in the experimental group and not control group.

Question 11

AO3

Are anger management programmes successful?

Answer 11

P: Results are inconsistent
E: Taylor and Navado = 75% improvement rates based on 6 meta-analysis.
Landenberger and Lipsey = analysed 58 studies using CBT = found improvement.
Law (1997) = reported a study where only one person improved.
E: These mixed findings make it difficult to draw clear conclusions about the effectiveness of anger management programmes for offenders.

Question 12

AO3

What is the problems with research conducted on anger management?

Answer 12

P: Methods are quite variable
E: Some methods only last a few days i.e Jane Ireland’s study, whereas others may span years.
Some are run by psychologists while others are ran by less experienced prison officers.
- Use self report measures or observations of staff = bias.
-Hello-goodbye effect = where patients portray themselves in a more positive light after treatment because they want to be helpful in showing that the therapy worked.
E; These differences make it quite difficult to draw any clear conclusions.

Question 13

AO3

What is a limitation of anger management programmes?

Answer 13

P: High dropout rates
E: CBT isn’t for everyone.
Alternative = drama based courses, less reliant on verbal ability and more engaging. (Blakcer et al 2008 < = successful)
Solve dropout rate = before assess ‘readiness to change’.
E: Suggests that anger management programmes should be targeted towards offenders who are likely to complete the course and are also probably best as part of a wider therapeutic approach.

Question 14

AO3

Is there more focus on short term goals rather than long term goals?

Answer 14

P: Most success on anger management programmes focus on ST of reducing anger not long term
E: Few studies have looked on long term effects on recidivism - difficult to follow up.
McGuire (2008) found reduction in reoffending after one year compared with individuals just on probation.
E: This suggests that there is rather too much focus on ST goals and more attention should be paid to how anger can be controlled in the long term.

Question 15

AO3

Is anger linked to crime or is it just aggression?

Answer 15

P: Anger and aggression (crime) may not be related
E: Aim of these programmes is to reduce aggression (ad crime). If anger doesn’t contribute to aggression, then anger management may be irrelevant.
-Loza and Loza-Fanous = the link to anger and crime is based on lab studies using students. In their own study of 300 found no difference between violent and non violent offenders in terms of anger. - could be good at masking anger.
-Anger management = harmful - offenders blame it on anger and don’t take personal responsibility
E: This suggests that crime can take place without anger acting as a prominent antecedent, calling into question the relevance of anger management programmes.