Citation

Ahmed AG, Kingston DA, DiGiuseppe RA, Bradford JMW, Seto MC. J. Affect. Disord. 2012; 136(1-2): 139-148.

Affiliation

Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2011.09.008

PMID

21975137

Abstract

BACKGROUND: This study attempted to validate a clinical typology of dysfunctional anger proposed by DiGiuseppe and Tafrate (2007) using assessment data obtained from 197 participants assessed at an outpatient clinic for anger problems. METHODS: Several self-report scales assessing anger, hostility, impulsivity and aggression, as well as a structured interview regarding anger experience and expression, were administered; Axis I and II comorbidity were assessed using clinical assessment and the SCID-II PQ. RESULTS: We found support for four of the proposed eight types described by DiGiuseppe and Tafrate - Pervasive Dysfunctional Anger, Impulsive Type; Pervasive Dysfunctional Anger, Mixed Type; Impulsive Aggressive Dysfunctional Anger; and Suppressed Dysfunctional Anger - with significant, predicted group differences on self-report measures of anger, aggression, and impulsivity, as well as differences in Axis I and II diagnoses. LIMITATIONS: Patients were rarely assigned to the other four dysfunctional anger types and thus we could not examine the validity of these types. We relied heavily on self-report data. CONCLUSIONS: Anger is a common symptom in outpatient psychiatry clinics. It is associated with both mood and anxiety disorder diagnoses, and often co-occurs with substance use problems. Different types of angry patients will likely require different assessment and treatment approaches.

Language: en