PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT CHILDRENS FAMILY PERCEPTIONS AND ANGER EXPRESSION

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between chil dren's perceptions of family functioning and their reported styles of anger expression. The subjects were 100 child psychiatric inpatients, ages 6 to 12 years. Children's perceptions of family functioning, soci al support, and anger styles were measured. Children with high and low scores on each of three anger expression scales were compared to dete rmine whether they differed on measures of family functioning and soci al support. Those who reported externalizing their anger rated their f amilies significantly lower on accord and reported poorer social suppo rt. Children who said they held in their anger rated their families si gnificantly higher on pride and cohesiveness and reported significantl y more available social support. These data demonstrate a relationship between children's perceptions of family functioning and their modes of anger expression.