The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anger in a Cross-Cultural Context

Abstract

This article proposes that while violent behavior has received much attention, the emotion of anger that may underlay violence, has relatively been ignored in the psychological literature. The status of anger in the psychological and medical literatures is reviewed. A criteria for a proposal of anger disorder for inclusion in DSM are presented. Psychotherapy outcome studies of anger are briefly reviewed. It is proposed that the primary problem in psychotherapy of anger is a failure to reach a therapeutic alliance with clients in order to change their anger. Suggestions for reaching a therapeutic alliance with angry clients and attaining agreement on the explicit goal of changing their anger are presented. Script theories of emotions are presented as an important tool for understanding the therapeutic alliance in different cultural groups. The creation of new scripts that are acceptable to the patients cultural group is presented as one strategy to formulate the therapeutic alliance.