The Effects Of Anger Management Groups In A Day School For Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents - Statistical Data Included

Adolescence, Winter, 1999 by Millicent H. Kellner, Brenna H. Bry

The parents also reported significant improvement in their children's conduct. Certainly, it is encouraging that these gains were reported six months after participation in the program. Maintenance of beneficial effects has been a concern (Feindler & Ecton, 1986; Goldstein & Glick, 1987; Nugent et al., 1997), especially since many youngsters do not receive support for continued use of the prosocial skills learned during treatment. Moreover, it is understandably difficult for them to apply these skills in the face of community, peer, and sometimes even family pressure to use aggression to solve interpersonal problems. Thus, a psychoeducational-based anger management program for parents and other caregivers, complementing the student program, should be considered.

Finally, future studies should measure the use of prosocial skills as well as the occurrence of conduct problems. Such an approach would provide insight into the anger management techniques that would best assist adolescents according to their specific diagnostic needs.

The authors are grateful to Jordan Pauker, Psy.D., Kim Daraghy-Ford, P. J. Madreperl, and Kevin Iglesias for their assistance in conducting this study.

Brenna H. Bry, Ph.D., Professor, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University.

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