Anger management for adolescents: efficacy of brief group therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of a brief, manual-based group therapy for adolescents with poor anger control. A previously developed anger management treatment package of 10 to 12 sessions was condensed to a 4-session package to be given within 2 weeks. Immediate effectiveness and the transfer of skills were investigated; anger management skills not only had to be acquired, they also had to be used in the adolescents' natural social interactions.


METHODS
Fifty adolescent psychiatric inpatients were selected for high levels of anger and randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. Pre- and posttreatment measures were administered to subjects and adults who rated the subjects' behaviors.


RESULTS
Pre/post self-report measures, as well as behavior ratings by adults, indicated that the patients who went through the anger management series exhibited significantly improved skills.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that the intervention for adolescents was effective even though it was condensed, but it should not be further abbreviated.
Snyder
K V
KV
New York Medical College, USA. KSNY@aol.com
Kymissis
P
P
Kessler
K
K
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000786:Anger; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome