title: IMPACT OF WILLIAMS LIFESKILLS®TRAINING ON ANGER, ANXIETY AND AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE IN ADOLESCENTS.
abstract: The Williams LifeSkills®(WLS) anger and stress management workshop provides training in strategies to cope with stressful situations and build supportive relationships.
  
  
  
  The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of school-based Williams LifeSkills training on anger, anxiety and blood pressure in adolescents.
  
  
  
  159 adolescents (mean age±SD=15.7±1.4 years) were randomized to WLS (n=86) or control (CTL, n=73) groups. The WLS group engaged in twelve 50-min WLS training sessions conducted by teachers at school.
  
  
  
  Anger-in and anxiety scores decreased and anger control scores increased in the WLS group across the six-month follow-up period compared to the CTL group (group x visit,ps<0.05). Daytime diastolic BP was lower across the follow-up in the WLS group (p=0.08). DBP was significantly lower across the follow-up period in the WLS group among those with higher SBP at baseline (p=0.04).
  
  
  
  These findings demonstrate beneficial impact of WLS upon self-reported anger-in, anger-control, anxiety levels and ambulatory DBP in the natural environment in healthy normotensive youth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA.
authors.forename: Vernon A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Maribeth H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Redford B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Virginia P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Williams
keywords: Adolescents; Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring; Anger; Anxiety; Blood Pressure; Coping Skills; Diastolic Blood Pressure; Systolic Blood Pressure