title: Evaluation of the dimensions of anger reactions-5 (DAR-5) scale in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: After a traumatic event many people experience problems with anger which not only results in significant distress, but can also impede recovery. As such, there is value to include the assessment of anger in routine post-trauma screening procedures. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5 (DAR-5), as a concise measure of anger, was designed to meet such a need, its brevity minimizing the burden on client and practitioner. This study examined the psychometric properties of the DAR-5 with a sample of 163 male veterans diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The DAR-5 demonstrated internal reliability (α=.86), along with convergent, concurrent and discriminant validity against a variety of established measures (e.g., HADS, PCL, STAXI). Support for the clinical cut-point score of 12 suggested by Forbes et al. (2014, Utility of the dimensions of anger reactions-5 (DAR-5) scale as a brief anger measure. Depression and Anxiety, 31, 166-173) was observed. The results support considering the DAR-5 as a preferred screening and assessment measure of problematic anger.
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: dforbes@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alkemade
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hopcraft
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hawthorne
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Halloran
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Jon D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Elhai
authors.affiliation: Veterans' Psychiatry Unit, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McHugh
authors.affiliation: Swinburne University of Technology, Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Raymond W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Novaco
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Australian Institute for Primary Care & Ageing, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis; D000786:Anger / Q000502:physiology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Anger; Assessment; DAR; Trauma