Evaluation of a short-term, cognitive-behavioral intervention for primary age children with anger-related difficulties. (February 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cole, Rachel L.; Treadwell, Susanne; Dosani, Sima; Frederickson, Norah
• Is Part Of: School psychology international. Volume 34:Number 1(2013)
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 100
• Publication Date: 2013-02
• Subjects: Anger -- anger management -- cognitive behavior therapy -- conduct; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; School psychology -- Periodicals; 370.1505
• DOI: 10.1177/0143034312451062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-0343

Abstract

This study evaluated the school-based short-term, cognitive-behavioral group anger management programme, 'Learning How to Deal with our Angry Feelings' (Southampton Psychology Service, 2003). Thirteen groups of children aged 7- to 11-years-old were randomly allocated to two different cohorts: One cohort ( n = 35) first received the intervention and was then assigned to a no-intervention period; the other ( n = 35) first had a no-intervention period and subsequently received the intervention. Both cohorts showed statistically significant improvements in their understanding of anger directly post-intervention, but neither reported improvements in self-perceived experience of anger scores. Teacher-rated measures of change in some problem behaviors (conduct problems and peer problems) showed significant improvements, but only in the second cohort (no intervention; intervention). The implications of these findings, and possible reasons for differences between cohorts, are discussed.