Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T19:13:09.922Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

High Trait Anger Mexican Youth: Characteristics, Parental Anger, and Counseling Needs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 November 2013

Raúl J. Alcázar-Olán  and
Jerry L. Deffenbacher
Raúl J. Alcázar-Olán*
Affiliation:
Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla (Mexico)
Jerry L. Deffenbacher
Affiliation:
Colorado State University (USA)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Raúl J. Alcázar-Olán. Department of Health Sciences. Blvd. del Nino Poblano 2901. U. T. Atlixcayotl. Puebla. Pue. (México) Z.C. 72430. Phone: +52–222–372–30–52. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study compared three groups of Mexican youth: (1) high trait anger adolescents recognizing anger problems (HR); (2) high trait anger youth not reporting anger problems (HNR); and (3) low trait anger adolescents not reporting anger problems (LNR). The HR group was sizable, representing 21% of all students and 72% of high anger youth. Compared to LNR, high anger groups (HR and HNR) experienced more angry feelings, engaged in anger suppression (e.g., holding anger in and harboring grudges) and aggressive anger expression (e.g., urges to aggression, physical aggressive anger expression toward others and toward self and objects), and reported lower internal and external anger control (e.g., relaxing and controlling one’s behavior when angry). High anger groups also reported greater trait anger in both parents than LNR, suggesting parent’s anger is a risk factor for anger in adolescents. HR and HNR groups, however, did not differ on any variable. Findings for high anger groups supported the intensity, aggression, and reduced positive coping hypotheses of State-Trait Anger Theory. Findings were also discussed in terms of the counseling needs of high anger Mexican youth and State-Trait Theory.

Keywords

adolescenceangerparentsproblemstrait anger
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 16 , 2013 , E89
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

We thank the financial research support from Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla.

References

Adams, M. M. (2007). Peer and parental correlates of driving anger and its expression. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: the Sciences and Engineering, 67, 7425.Google Scholar
Alcázar, R. J., Deffenbacher, J. L., Hernández-Guzmán, L., & Wilson, G. I. (2011). High and low trait anger, and the recognition of anger problems. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 14, 851–858. http://dx.doi.org/10.5209/rev_SJOP.2011.v14.n2.32 Google Scholar
Alcázar-Olán, R. J., Deffenbacher, J. L., Pool Cibrián, W. J., Reyes Pérez, V., & Hernández-Guzmán, L. (in press). Developing a valid version of the ML-STAXI to measure anger in Mexican adolescents. In Penrod, M. G., & Paulk, S. N. (Eds.), Psychology of Anger: New Research. Hauppauge, NY: Nova publishers.Google Scholar
Archer, J. (2004). Sex differences in aggression in real-world settings: A meta-analytic review. Review of General Psychology, 8, 291–322. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.8.4.291 Google Scholar
Beasley, R., & Stoltenberg, C. D. (1992). Personality characteristics of male spouse abusers. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 23, 310–317. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0735-7028.23.4.310 Google Scholar
Benjet, C., Borges, G., Medina-Mora, M. E., Méndez, E., Fleiz, C., Rojas, E., & Cruz, C. (2009). Diferencias de sexo en la prevalencia y severidad de trastornos psiquiátricos en adolescentes de la ciudad de México [Sex differences in prevalence and severity of psychiatric disorders in adolescents from Mexico City]. Salud Mental, 32, 155–163 Google Scholar
Caraveo-Anduaga, J. J., Colmenares-Bermúdez, E., & Martínez-Vélez, N. A. (2002). Síntomas, percepción y demanda de atención en salud mental en niños y adolescentes de la Ciudad de México [Symptoms, perception and attention demand in mental health of children and adolescents from Mexico city]. Salud Pública de México, 44, 492–498. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-36342002000600001 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castañeda, M. (2007). El machismo invisible regresa [The invisible machismo returns] . Mexico: Taurus, Santillana.Google Scholar
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2 nd Ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Deffenbacher, J. L., & Alcázar, R. J. (in press). Anger: Preventive interventions. In Gullotta, T. P., & Bloom, M. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of primary prevention and health promotion (2 nd Ed). New York, NY: Springer.Google Scholar
Deffenbacher, J. L., Demm, P. M., & Brandon, A. D. (1986). High general anger: Correlates and treatment. Behavior Research and Therapy, 24, 481–489. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(86)90014-8 Google Scholar
Deffenbacher, J. L., Filetti, L. B., Richards, T. L., Lynch, R. S., & Oetting, E. R. (2003). Characteristics of two groups of angry drivers. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 50, 123–132. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.50.2.123 Google Scholar
Deffenbacher, J. L., Oetting, E. R., Thwaites, G. A., Lynch, R. S., Baker, D. A., Stark, R. S., … Eiswerth-Cox, L. (1996). State-trait anger theory and the utility of the trait anger scale. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 43, 131–148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0022-0167.43.2.131 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Drapeau, A., Boyer, R., & Lesage, A. (2009). The influence of social anchorage on the gender difference in the use of mental health services. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 36, 372–384. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11414-009-9168-0 Google Scholar
Finley, G. E., Mira, S. D., & Schwartz, S. J. (2008). Perceived paternal and maternal involvement: Factor structures, mean differences, and parental roles. Fathering, 6, 62–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.3149/fth.0601.62 Google Scholar
Hoglund, C. L., & Nicholas, K. B. (1995). Shame, guilt, and anger in college students exposed to abusive family environments. Journal of Family Violence, 10, 141–157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02110597 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kazdin, A. (2003). Research design in clinical psychology (4 th Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.Google Scholar
Kneip, R. C., Delamater, A. M., Ismond, T., Milford, C., Salvia, L., & Schwartz, D. (1993). Self- and spouse ratings of anger and hostility as predictors of coronary heart disease. Health Psychology, 12, 301–307. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0278-6133.12.4.301 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Medina-Mora, M. E., Borges, G., Lara, C., Benjet, C., Blanco, J., Fleiz, C., …Aguilar-Gaxiola, S. (2003). Prevalencia de trastornos mentales y uso de servicios: Resultados de la encuesta nacional de epidemiologia psiquiátrica en México [Prevalence of mental disorders and use of services: Results from the national survey of psychiatric epidemiology in Mexico]. Salud Mental, 26, 1–16.Google Scholar
Ministry of Health (2007). Salud de la Adolescencia [Health of the adolescence]. Mexico: Author. Retrieved from http://www.censia.salud.gob.mx/descargas/adolescencia/saludadol.pdf Google Scholar
Moscoso, M. (2000). Estructura factorial del Inventario Multicultural Latinoamericano de la Expresión de la Cólera y la Hostilidad [Factor structure of the Multicultural Latin American Inventory of Anger Expression and Hostility]. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, 32, 321–343.Google Scholar
Moscoso, M., & Spielgerber, C. D. (1999). Evaluación de la experiencia, expresión y control de la cólera en Latinoamerica [Assessment of the anger experience, expression, and control in Latin America]. Revista Psicología Contemporánea, 6, 4–13.Google Scholar
Pepin, R., Segal, D. L., & Coolidge, F. L. (2009). Intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to mental health care among community-dwelling younger and older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 13, 769–777. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13607860902918231 Google Scholar
Quigley, D. D., Jaycox, L. H., McCaffrey, D. F., & Marshall, G. N. (2006). Peer and family influences on adolescent anger expression and the acceptance of cross-gender aggression. Violence and Victims, 21, 597–610. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/vivi.21.5.597 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Renk, K., Phares, V., & Epps, J. (1999). The relationship between parental anger and behavior problems in children and adolescents. Journal of Family Psychology, 13, 209–227. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0893-3200.13.2.209 Google Scholar
Silver, M. E., Field, T. M., Sanders, C. E., & Diego, M. (2000). Angry adolescents who worry about becoming violent. Adolescence, 35, 663–669.Google Scholar
Spielberger, C. D. (1988). Manual for the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Spielberger, C. D. (1999). Manual for the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-Revised. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.Google Scholar
Yahav, R. (2007). The relationship between children’s and adolescents’ perceptions of parenting style and internal and external symptoms. Child: Care, Health, and Development, 33, 460–471. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00708.x Google Scholar