ANGER MANAGEMENT WITH CRIMINAL OFFENDERS - SELF-CONTROL SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION AND SELF-RECORDING

• NCJ Number: 56622
• Author(s): R C PETRELLA
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 164 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SPECIAL PRICES FOR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

A VARIETY OF ANGER MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES WERE TAUGHT TO 20 MALE AND FEMALE ADULT OFFENDERS FROM THE MAGDALA FOUNDATION, ST. LOUIS, MO. POSITIVE EVALUATIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM 80 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS.

Abstract

TRADITIONAL COUNSELING PROGRAMS EITHER FAIL TO DEAL OPENLY WITH EXPRESSIONS OF ANGER AND HOSTILITY OR THEY FOCUS ON THE 'ROOT CAUSES' WITHOUT TEACHING THE PERSON HOW TO TREAT EPISODES OF EXTREME ANGER. THE SUBJECTS WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY HAD A HISTORY OF VIOLENT INCIDENTS RELATED TO UNCONTROLLED ANGER. A VARIETY OF ANGER MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES WERE TAUGHT. THE SUBJECTS MADE INVENTORIES OF SITUATIONS OR PERSONS WHO MADE THEM ANGRY, THEY KEPT DAILY DIARIES AND BEHAVIOR REPORTS, WORKED ON DESENSITIZATION THROUGH INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING, AND LEARNED RELAXATION TECHNIQUES. AT THE END OF THE COURSE, 70 PERCENT SAID THE TECHNIQUES HAD ALREADY BEEN HELPFUL, 80 PERCENT EXPECTED THAT THEY WOULD BE HELPFUL, AND 90 PERCENT RATED THE PROGRAM AS OVERALL EFFECTIVE. THREE WEEKS LATER THE SUBJECTS WERE ASKED HOW HELPFUL THE TECHNIQUES HAD BEEN; 43 PERCENT REPORTED THEIR ANGER CONTROL HAD IMPROVED SOMEWHAT AND 43 PERCENT REPORTED CONSIDERABLE OR MARKED IMPROVEMENT. EXAMINATION OF THE DIARIES AND REPORTS SHOWED THAT NUMBER OF ANGER INCIDENTS DECREASED DURING THE TREATMENT, THOUGH NOT SIGNIFICANTLY. THE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ARE DESCRIBED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE ANGER INVENTORY AND OTHER STUDY QUESTIONNAIRES. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)