Dealing with offending behaviour: Anger management Flashcards
What is anger management?
A therapeutic programme that involves identifying the signs that trigger anger as well as learning techniques to calm down and deal with the situation in a positive way .
The aim is not to prevent anger but to recognise and manage it.
What is CBT in anger management?
Novaco- suggests that cognitive factors trigger the emotional arousal which is generally precedes aggressive acts.
Anger management programmes are a form of CBT as the individual is taught how to recognise the cognitive factors that trigger their anger and loss of control, and then are encouraged to develop techniques which bring about conflict resolution without the need for violence.
What are the three stages to anger management?
Cognitive preparation
Skills acquisition
Application practise
What is cognitive preparation in anger management?
It requires an offender to reflect on past experiences and consider the typical pattern of their anger.
The offender learns to identify. those situations which act as triggers to anger and of the way the offender interprets the event is irrational, the therapist’s role us to make it clear.
What is skills acquisition in anger management?
Offenders are introduced to a range of techniques and skills to help them deal with anger-provoking situations more rationally and effectively.
Techniques may include:
Cognitive- positive self talk to encourage calmness.
Behavioural- Assertiveness training in how to communicate more effectively which will become an automatic response if practised regularly.
Physiological- deal with the physical reaction to ager such as relaxation training or meditation.
What is application practice in anger management?
Offenders are given the opportunity to practice their skills within a controlled environment. - Re-enacting scenarios.
If the offender deals successfully with the role play this is given positive reinforcement by the therapist.
Explain the positive outcomes of anger management on young offenders.
Keen (2000) studied the progeress made with young offenders aged between 17 and 21 who took part in a nationally recognised anger management programme.
It consists of eight two-hour sessions, the first seven over a three-week period with the last session a month afterwards.
At the end of the programme, offenders reported increased awareness of their anger management difficulties and an increased capacity of self-control.
Strengths of anger management.
The benefits outweigh those of behaviour modification.
Treatments such as behavioural modification deal with only the surface behaviour and not the process that drive such behaviour.
Experiences of anger management may give offenders new insights into the cause of their criminality and allow them to self-discover ways of managing themselves outside of the prison setting.
Limitation of anger management.
There are individual differences.
Howells conducted an investigation with Australian offenders . The researchers found that participation in an anger managment programme had little overall impact compared to a control group who received no treatment.
Significant progress was made with those offenders who had showed intense levels of anger before the programme.
This suggests that anger management may only benefit offenders who fit a certain role.
2nd limitation-cost
It is very expensive.
They require specialists who are dealing with violent offenders.
Change takes time and this ultimately will lead to increased cost of the therapy.
