Modification of anger in children by affective imagery training.
From a school population of normal children (third through fifth grades), thirty children initially identified as "angry" were randomly assigned to either an affective imagery training group, an attention group, or a control group. The treatment group received three sessions of affective imagery in which they focused on physiological changes and on their thoughts associated with prior emotional experiences. Teachers recorded pre-, post-, and short term follow-up aggressive behaviors for all thirty children. Cognitive perceptions and attributions were recorded at the same three occasions on the Affect Questionnaire. Results suggested that, as a result of affective imagery training, angry children's perceptions and cognitions shifted from "angry" towards "sad," and there was a concomitant decrease in observed aggressive classroom behavior.
D000339:Affect; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000786:Anger; D001143:Arousal; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male