Jl. Deffenbacher et al., EVALUATION OF 2 COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES TO GENERAL ANGER REDUCTION, Cognitive therapy and research, 20(6), 1996, pp. 551-573
Inductive social skills training (ISST) based on principles from Beck'
s cognitive therapy and cognitive-relaxation coping skills (CRCS) were
compared to a no treatment control for general anger reduction. Preli
minary analyses suggested equivalent, quality administration of treatm
ents and no systematic bias in the 1-year follow-up sample. By 5-week
follow-up, treatment groups compared to the control, showed reductions
of trait anger daily anger level, anger in response to a wide range o
f situations anger in the person's greatest ongoing source of provocat
ion, anger-related physiological arousal, and trait anxiety. Regarding
anger expression, treatment groups both lowered suppressive and outwa
rdly negative anger expression styles, whereas CRCS also enhanced a co
ntrolled style of anger expression. Both groups also led to higher pro
portions of participants meeting a clinically reliable change index on
trait anger No treatment effects were found for assertiveness. One-ye
ar follow-up generally revealed maintenance of effects found at 5-week
follow-up. Results are discussed in terms of prior findings, the effi
cacy and flexibility of ISST and the need for greater clarity in relat
ing anger and assertiveness, measuring angel; and generalizing finding
s.