Anger and children's health: Differentiating role of inward versus outward expressed anger on sleep, medical service utilization, and mental health. Issue 3 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kidwell, Katherine M.; Van Dyk, Tori R.; Guenther, Kassie D.; Nelson, Timothy D.
• Is Part Of: Children's health care. Volume 45:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 342
• Page End: 358
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Children -- Hospital care -- Periodicals; Child health services -- Periodicals; Children -- Preparation for medical care -- Periodicals; 362.19892
• DOI: 10.1080/02739615.2015.1038680
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0273-9615

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objective : To examine the differential associations between children's anger expression styles and selected health constructs. Method : Measures assessed sleep problems, medical service utilization, and mental health in 125 children ( M = 9.48 years). Results : Anger expression styles predicted health outcomes in a multivariate model. As hypothesized, anger-out significantly predicted sleep problems, number of medical visits, externalizing problems, and internalizing problems. Anger-in was not significantly related to any health outcome measure. Conclusion : This study demonstrates the importance of anger expression styles for health, as they are differentially related to impairments. Clinicians are urged to recognize anger problems to broadly impact children's health.