Referrals for anger and aggression in forensic psychology outpatient services

The purpose of this study was to investigate a clinical observation in refe rrals to a forensic clinical psychology outpatient service: that anger was related to obsessional-compulsive behaviours, possibly as a substitute mean s of controlling situations. A secondary hypothesis was that control of sit uations by obsessional-compulsive behaviours would result in greater levels of anxiety and depression, since this is not this group's preferred means of control. Comparison of anger referrals (n = 34) and non-anger referrals (n = 25) on the State-Trait Anger Expression inventory (STAXI; Spielberger, 1996), the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive inventory (MOCI; Hodgson and Ra chman, 1977) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD; Zigmond an d Snaith, 1983) showed no support for either of these hypotheses. Additiona l data on the STAXI and HAD were added to the initial sample, thus providin g norms on these measures for forensic outpatients. Anger referrals scored significantly higher on all but two scales of the STAXI, compared with non- anger referrals. No group differences were found on the HAD scales, with bo th groups showing moderately high levels of anxiety and depression.