Anger management style and associations with self-efficacy and pain in male veterans.
Despite the high prevalence of anger and maladaptive anger management among persons with chronic pain, the association between pain and anger has received little empirical attention. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between pain and anger management style and test for the hypothesized role of self-efficacy as a moderator of this association. Five hundred sixty-four veterans with chronic pain were administered measures of pain, self-efficacy, and anger management. As expected, the results demonstrated a significant positive relationship between pain intensity and maladaptive anger management and a significant negative association between self-efficacy and maladaptive anger. Furthermore, pain intensity and the interaction of self-efficacy and pain intensity were significant predictors of maladaptive anger management. Surprisingly, patients reporting high self-efficacy and high pain intensity demonstrated more maladaptive anger management than individuals reporting high self-efficacy and low pain intensity. Patients reporting low self-efficacy demonstrated high levels of maladaptive anger management, regardless of pain intensity level.


CONCLUSIONS
Maladaptive anger management is associated with pain intensity and self-efficacy beliefs. Additional research is needed to explore the interaction of pain and self-efficacy and its impact on anger management.
Lombardo
Elizabeth R
ER
Dallas Mind Body Medicine, Dallas, Texas 75205, USA. dr.Lombardo@mind-body-wellness.com
Tan
Gabriel
G
Jensen
Mark P
MP
Anderson
Karen O
KO
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000786:Anger; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*