ABSTRACT
This study examined the impact of a classroom-based, 10-week, cognitive-behavioral, anger management program plus booster sessions on middle school students with emotional disorders attending a therapeutic day school. Forty-five students were in the study; 20 received the program. The program group completed significantly more anger logs compared to the nonprogram group in both program and follow-up periods. Program students were observed to exhibit significantly more prosocial behaviors toward their teachers and showed a trend toward exhibiting fewer negative behaviors toward peers than nonprogram students at the end of the program. Program students also showed a trend toward fewer aggressive incidents than their nonprogram peers during follow-up. Findings may suggest mechanisms of change in anger management.
The authors would like to thank Jamilla Irons, Julie Swenson, and the teachers and school clinical social workers at CPC High Point Adolescent School for their assistance.
Notes
∗p < .03.
Note. Standard deviations are in parentheses.
∗p < .02. ∗∗∗p < .0005. †p < .08.
Note. Means are of numbers of 10-second intervals in 5 minutes of observation when behavior was seen for each student in the group. Standard deviations are in parentheses.
∗∗p < .006. †p < .085.