CHARACTERISTICS OF ANGER EXPRESSION IN DEPRESSED CHILDREN

Objectives: To examine anger expression styles in depressed and nondep ressed children and to investigate whether the relation between depres sion and anger expression was mediated by family variables. Method: Fr om a sample of 100 psychiatric inpatient children, 11 depressed childr en and 11 matched nondepressed psychiatric controls were compared on t wo self-report measures, the Pediatric Anger Expression Style and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-III-K. Results: Dep ressed children reported significantly more difficulty maintaining cog nitive control of their anger than did nondepressed children who were psychiatric inpatients. Family cohesion and adaptability were not foun d to have an effect on this relationship. No significant differences w ere found with respect to the tendency to deny or suppress anger or th e tendency to express anger aggressively. Conclusions: Depressed child ren experienced more difficulties expressing their anger using a contr olled/cognitive style than nondepressed (externalizing) children. The lack of a mediating role of family variables suggests that anger expre ssion styles may be more related to the characteristics of depression in children, a finding that has clinical implications for addressing t reatment of depressed children.