RESUMEN
The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate whether perpetrators of dating violence could be differentiated from their nonviolent counterparts on measures of anger and cognitive distortion, specifically Ellis's (1994) irrational beliefs and Beck's (1976) dysfunctional attitudes. Of the 95 male and 152 female undergraduates surveyed, 27% (24 males and 43 females) reported using some form of physical aggression against their current dating partner in the past year. On a self-report measure of anger (State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory), violent individuals reported higher levels of Anger Out and lower levels of Anger Control compared to nonviolent participants. While there were no differences between violent and nonviolent participants' levels of Trait Anger, the results suggest that violent individuals have difficulty controlling angry feelings when they arise, which may increase the likelihood of externally directed forms of anger expression. No significant group differences emerged on questionnaire measures of irrational beliefs and dysfunctional attitudes. Within the violent sample, there was no differential pattern of correlations between measures of anger and cognition relative to the nonviolent sample. The present data suggest that while trait-based measures of cognitive distortion explain little variance in self-reported acts of dating violence, future research should investigate whether (a) cognitive distortions are present during affect-inducing partner conflict situations, or (b) vary with violence severity.
Asunto(s)
Ira , Actitud , Relaciones Interpersonales , Violencia , Adulto , Cognición , Interpretación Estadística de Datos , Emociones , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Pruebas de Personalidad , Prevalencia , Estudiantes , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
The cognitive correlates of anger arousal were investigated in community-based samples of maritally violent (MV), maritally distressed-nonviolent (DNV), and maritally satisfied-nonviolent (SNV) husbands. Participants performed the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations (ATSS) paradigm while listening to anger-arousing audiotapes. Trained raters coded for irrational beliefs, cognitive biases, hostile attributional biases, and anger control statements. Results indicated that MV men articulated significantly more irrational thoughts and cognitive biases than DNV and SNV men. MV men articulated more hostile attributional biases than DNV and SNV men across all ATSS scenarios. SNV men, however, articulated more anger control statements during ATSS anger arousal than MV or DNV participants. Discriminant function analyses indicated that specific thoughts discriminated between the groups and differentiated mildly from severely violent participants. ATSS cognitive distortions (a) were not correlated with questionnaire measures of cognitive distortion, and (b) were superior to questionnaire measures in discriminating between the groups. The findings are interpreted in light of recent advances in understanding the relationship between information processing, anger, and marital aggression.
Asunto(s)
Ira , Nivel de Alerta , Emoción Expresada , Maltrato Conyugal/psicología , Adulto , Agresión/psicología , Mecanismos de Defensa , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Determinación de la Personalidad , Factores de Riesgo , Maltrato Conyugal/prevención & controlRESUMEN
We examined the possible universality of Spielberger's (1988) model of anger by validating a Russian State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI). In Eckhardt, Kassinove, Tsytsarev, and Sukhodolsky (1995), support was found for all STAXI factors except anger-in, using students from St. Petersburg State University. In the present study, 346 students from Russian high schools and the Pavlov Medical School served as subjects. Using new items, we found strong support for the factor structure hypothesized by Spielberger. All scales showed good to excellent alphas, and there was substantial similarity of the current means with results from the earlier study. The Russian samples, however, showed a lower level of state anger. The data support the possibility that state anger consists of two subscales, a simple experience and an experience combined with an action tendency. Trait anger occurs as a general temperament or as a reaction to specific triggers. It is positively related to anger-out and negatively related to anger control. Future studies can use this instrument to evaluate the stability of anger in Russian speaking populations, and to assess anger experiences and expression in response to specific triggers.
Asunto(s)
Ira , Trastornos del Humor/diagnóstico , Psicometría , Adolescente , Adulto , Comparación Transcultural , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Federación de Rusia , Conducta VerbalRESUMEN
Marital violence researchers have generally used the terms anger and hostility interchangeably. However, there are important differences between anger and hostility that may be vital to understanding the relationship between these constructs and marital violence. The present manuscript highlights the advantages of distinguishing between anger and hostility. In order to investigate the role of anger and hostility in marital violence, we provide a comprehensive review of 26 empirical studies in addition to critically examining researchers' definitions of anger and hostility and the methods of assessment utilized in this body of research. While many researchers have presented data suggesting that maritally violent men are higher in anger and hostility than maritally nonviolent men, the findings are not consistent and vary in accordance with the construct assessed and the assessment strategy used.
Asunto(s)
Ira , Hostilidad , Psicología Clínica/normas , Maltrato Conyugal/psicología , Terminología como Asunto , Adulto , Ira/clasificación , Ira/fisiología , Causalidad , Cognición/clasificación , Cognición/fisiología , Emociones/clasificación , Emociones/fisiología , Humanos , Masculino , Psicometría/métodos , Psicometría/normas , Proyectos de Investigación/normasRESUMEN
Spielberger's (1988) State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory represents a conceptual advance over previous anger measures. It measures both immediate anger experiences and longer term dispositions to experience anger, as well as modes of anger expression. In American samples, the inventory has been shown to be both internally consistent and conceptually valid. This study presents initial data on a Russian version of the inventory. Our subjects were 120 students from St. Petersburg University and 31 psychiatric patients from the St. Petersburg Top Security Hospital. The results provide initial support for Spielberger's factorial model of anger in a Russian sample. All of the scales, with the exception of Anger-In, showed good alpha coefficients, and the means were generally similar to those found in American subgroups. Russian men scored higher on Anger-Out than did Russian women. Determination of subgroup norms in larger samples will allow us to explore further the cross-national similarity of anger in Russia and America.