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Developing a brief tool for anger assessment in clinical settings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Brian Merriman ,
Suzanne Guerin ,
Fiona Horgan  and
Brian Maguire
Brian Merriman*
Affiliation:
Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
Suzanne Guerin
Affiliation:
UCD School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Ireland
Fiona Horgan
Affiliation:
St John of God Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Brian Maguire
Affiliation:
Cluain Mhuire Community Mental Health Service, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Correspondence Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives: To develop and validate a new brief assessment tool for anger in clinical settings at the Cluain Mhuire Acute Day Hospital.

Methods: The Cluain Mhuire Clinical Anger Scale (CMCAS) was developed using mixed methods including content analysis of interviews with five clients and six clinicians and qualitative item analysis of nine existing assessment tools. An initial 16-item scale was completed by 112 clients of a psychiatric day hospital and a nonclinical comparison group (n = 76).

Results: Psychometric analysis found that the CMCAS consisted of one 12-item factor with good internal reliability (α = 0.82, n = 178) and good test-retest reliability (r = 0.93, n = 12) and converged with scores on STAXI-2. It distinguished between a sub-group referred for an anger management programme and matched groups from non-anger clinical and non-clinical samples (F(2) = 18.13; p < .01).

Conclusions: Findings suggest the CMCAS may be useful in clinical settings as a screening and assessment tool.

Keywords

AngerScreeningSelf-assessment
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , March 2011 , pp. 13 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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