Physiologically, children high in proactive aggression, an acquired coping style similar to trait anger, produced higher heart rate (HR) to an in-vivo provocation than controls ( Hubbard et al., 2002). Meta-analysis of 288 studies on anger in adolescents revealed that high scores on trait anger measures were the largest predictor of state anger ( Mahon, Yarcheski, & Yarcheski, & Hanks, 2010). Emerging research has examined characteristics of adolescents with high trait anger. It is also vital to study anger in adolescence due to the rapid and critical development of identity, social relationships, and emotion display rules occurring during this period. Studying the developmental trajectory of high anger levels through adolescence is important due to anger’s role as a precursor to negative adult mental and physical health outcomes. Elevated blood pressure in adolescence is an early biological precursor of essential hypertension and coronary heart disease ( Ewart & Kolodner, 1994 Pankova, Alchinova, Afanaseva, & Karganov, 2010). Much research supports the link between anger problems and coronary heart disease risk in adults ( Bleil, McCaffery, Muldoon, Sutton-Tyrrell, & Manuck, 2004 Williams, 2010). Adolescent anger has also been linked with general health problems ( Kerr & Schneider, 2008). Poorly managed anger in adolescents has been linked to increases in verbal and physical aggression ( Peled & Moretti, 2007), peer rejection ( Coie, Dodge, & Neckerman, 1989 Hubbard, 2001), school dropout ( Bradshaw, Schaeffer, Petras, & Ialongo, 2010), juvenile delinquency ( Maschi & Bradley, 2008), psychopathology ( Daniel, Goldston, Erkanli, Franklin, & Mayfield, 2009 Kerr & Schneider, 2008), and later adult criminal behavior ( Sigfusdottir, Gudjonsson, & Sigurdsson, 2010). The data on all five hypotheses supported the notion that trait anger is firmly entrenched by the period of adolescence, with few developmental differences noted from the adult literature.Īnger has been associated with detrimental outcomes for youth ( Kerr & Schneider, 2008) and has been designated as an important research area by the National Institute of Mental Health (2001). Adolescents with high hostility reported more maladaptive coping with anger, with higher anger-in and anger-out than adolescents with low hostility (negative expression hypothesis). The HTA group was more likely to report negative health, social, and academic outcomes (consequence hypothesis). The HTA group also reported greater frequency and duration of anger episodes and had longer recovery of SBP response to anger (elicitation hypothesis). Compared to the low trait anger (LTA) group, adolescents with high trait anger (HTA) produced increased HR, SBP and DBP, and greater self-report of anger to anger imagery (intensity hypothesis) but not greater self-report or cardiovascular reactivity to fear or joy imagery (discrimination hypothesis). Self-reported experience, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) responses to anger provoking imagery scripts found strong support for the application of this theory to adolescents. Spielberger’s state-trait theory of anger was investigated in adolescents (n = 201, ages 10–18, 53% African American, 47% European American, 48% female) using Deffenbacher’s five hypotheses formulated to test the theory in adults.
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