11. anger management

what is anger management

• therapeutic programme involving identifying signs that trigger anger as well as learning techniques to calm down and deal with the situation in a positive way

• aim - not to prevent anger but to recognise it and manage it

• offered in prisons to encourage self awareness and facilitate rehabilitation

behaviourist terms

becoming angry is reinforced by the individuals feeling of control in a situation

• as such its a part of CBT

stages

1. cognitive preparation

2. skills aquisition

3. application practice

cognitive preparation

• reflecting on past experience and considering the typical pattern of their anger

• offender learns to identify situations that act as triggers to anger and, if the way in which the offender interprets the event is irrational, the therapists role is to make this clear

• by redefining the situation as non threatening, the therapist is attempting to break what may be an automatic response for the offender

skills aquisition

offenders are introduced to a range of techniques and skills to help deal with anger provoking situations more rationally and effectively

1. cognitive - positive self talk to encourage calmness ie counting to ten to temper our reaction to a stressful event

2. behavioural - assertiveness training in how to communicate more effectively which can become an automatic response

3. physiological - dealing with physical reaction to anger ie relaxation training, meditation with aim to control emotions rather than being controlled by them

application practice

• given opportunity to practice their skills within a carefully controlled environment

• such role play involves re-enacting scenarios that may escalate anger

• requires bravery from therapist and commitment from offender

• if successfully dealing with it positive reinforcement is given by the therapist

positive outcome with young offenders

keen studied progress made with young offenders who took place in an anger management programme

• course comprised eight two hour sessions

• final outcomes generally positive

• reported increased awareness of their anger management difficulties and an increased capacity to exercise self control

evaluation

1. research support

2. free will

3. long term

4. individual differences

5. expensive

research support

keen study above

ireland found a 92% improvement in the behaviour of offenders after they had engaged with anger management

• research shows consistently strong support for the advantages of anger management programmes in prison

free will

• based on idea that offenders can learn to control their behaviour, suggesting a belief in free will

• aligns with our legal system which holds individuals accountable for their actions and assumes they can choose how to behave

• contrasts with deterministic views (ie biological explanations) which argue that aggression is beyond an individuals control

long term

• blackburn found while anger management can reduce anger in the ST there is little evidence it reduces recidivism

• anger measured in therapy may not reflect real life emotional responses especially in high risk situations outside prison - role play with therapist lacks mundane realism

• weakens practical effectiveness suggesting anger management may not significantly reduce crime in the real world

individual differences

• howells found treatment was only effective for offenders who had high initial levels of anger and were motivated to change

• offenders lacking emotional insight or motivation may fail to engage, limiting programme success

• suggests anger management is not universally effective reducing generalisability

expensive

• expensive and resource intensive

• require highly trained specialists and LT therapy which many prisons cannot afford - limited funding and overcrowding restrict availability of these programmes

• reduces practical value as effective implementation is difficult across most prison systems