Explosive Matters: Does Venting Anger Reduce or Increase Aggression? Differences in Anger Venting Effects in Violent Offenders

Figures & data

Figure 1. Procedure.

Table 1. Results independent-samples t-tests investigating group difference in anger provocation response.

	Forensic psychiatric offenders (FPO)		Penitentiary offenders(PO)
Measurement	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	t/z
ATSS total	18.46	8.39	13.64	6.67	2.35*
Anger statements	6.53	4.09	5.32	3.36	1.20
Aggressive behavior intentions	5.60	3.51	4.23	2.93	1.58
Irrational beliefs	2.90	2.62	1.32	1.99	−2.92**
Automatic cognitive biases	.28	.57	.41	.59	−1.15
Anger control	5.04	2.80	6.18	3.65	.23
BOB RAB total	1.88	3.99	9.25	8.48	−4.27**

* p < .05, **p < .01, value based on Mann-Whitney U Test.

Table 2. Results paired-sample t-tests on assessment of anger and aggression pre and post the anger provocation.

	Pre		Post
Measurement	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	t
Forensic psychiatric offenders (FPO)
ATSS
AQ Total	39.25	13.10	37.39	13.81	−2.07*
Anger-STIAT	−40.9	173.39	−7.41	180.83	1.16
BOB RAB Response
AQ Total	39.57	13.66	37.34	14.24	−2.12*
Anger-STIAT	−48.25	155.98	−12.32	133.46	1.21
Penitentiary offenders (PO)
ATSS
AQ Total	49.31	19.12	52.86	18.86	2.24*
Anger-STIAT	−63.08	128.12	−48.32	158.04	.41
BOB RAB Response
AQ Total	52.23	16.07	53.77	18.22	1.01
Anger-STIAT	−106.99	185.34	−116.29	214.56	−1.31

* p < .05.

Table 3. Correlations of reactive and proactive aggression, psychopathy and the provocation paradigm responses.

	RPQ Reactive aggression		RPQ Proactive aggression			PCL-R Psychopathy
Measure	FPO	PO	FPO		PO	FPO
ATSS Total	−.11	.53*	−.13		.32	−.16
Anger statements	−.06	.22	−.09		.08	−.16
Aggressive behavior intentions	−.07	.48*	.01		.33	.06
Irrational beliefs	−.11	.23	−.18		.15	−.21
Automatic cognitive biases	.09	.08	.14		−.22	.35*
Anger Control	.03	−.71**	−.01		−.59**	−.03
BOB RAB Total	−.11	−.01	−.18	−.04		−.11

* p < .05, **p < .01.