A group of twelve adolescents exhibiting aggressive behavior in a residential treatment center received six weeks of anger control training consisting of thought stopping, relaxation training, and rehearsal of problem-solving, self-talk patterns. The subjects were divided into two groups, and a multiple baseline design was employed. Houseparents kept daily observational records of subjects' verbal and physical aggression. Both observational data and teacher ratings indicated that nine of the subjects reduced their rates of aggression. T1wo did not behave aggressively during the study period. One briefly deteriorated following a major disappointment, after which his aggression rate also declined.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Camp, B. M. , Bloom, G. E., Hebert, F., & van Doorninck, W. J. (1977). "Think aloud." Aprogram for developing self-control in young aggressive boys. Journal ofAbnormal Child Psychology, 5, 157-169.
2.
Deschner, J. P. (1984). The hitting habit: Anger control for battering couples. New York: Free Press.
3.
Feindler, E. L. , Marriott, S. A., & Iwata, M. (1984). Group anger control training for junior high school delinquents. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 8, 299-311.
4.
Forman, S. G. (1980). A comparison of cognitive training and response cost procedures in modifying aggressive behavior of elementary school children. Behavior Therapy, 11, 594-600.
5.
Gresham, F. M. , & Lemanek, K. L. (1983). Social skills: A review of cognitive behavioral training procedures with children. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 4, 239-261.
6.
Hobbs, S. A. , Moquin, L. E., Tryoler, M., & Lahey, B. B. (1980). Cognitive behavior therapy with children: Has clinical utility been demonstrated?Psychological Bulletin, 87, 147-165.
7.
Kendall, P. C. , & Braswell, L. (1982). Cognitive-behavioral self-control therapy for children: A components analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 672-689.
8.
McCullough, J. P. , Huntsinger, G. M., & Nay, W. R. (1977). Case study: Self-control treatment of aggression in a 16-year-old male. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 322-331.
9.
Meichenbaum, D. H. , & Goodman, J. (1971). Training impulsive children to talk to themselves: A means of developing self-control. Journal ofAbnormal Psychology, 77, 115-126.
10.
Novaco, R. W. (1975). Anger control: The development and evaluation of an experimental treatment. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
11.
Rimm, D. C. , Hill, G. A., Brown, N. N., & Stuart, J. E. (1974). Group-assertive training in treatment of expression of inappropriate anger. Psychological Reports, 34, 791-798.
12.
Saunders, D. G. , & Hanusa, D. (1986). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of men who batter: The short-term effects of group therapy. Journal of Family Violence, 1, 357-372.
13.
Schlichter, K. J. , & Horan, J. J. (1981). Effects of stress inoculation on the anger and aggression management skills of institutionalized juvenile delinquents. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 4, 359-365.
14.
Snyder, J. J. , & White, M. J. (1979). The use of cognitive self-instruction in the treatment of behaviorally disturbed adolescents. Behavior Therapy, 10, 227-235.
15.
Taber, S. M. (1981). Cognitive-behavior modification treatment of an aggressive 11-year-old boy. Social Work Research and Abstracts, 17, 13-23.
16.
Wilson, R. (1984). A review of self-control treatments for aggressive behavior. Behavioral Disorders, 9, 131-140.
17.
Zahavi, S. L. , & Asher, S. R. (1978). The effect of verbal instructions on preschool children's aggressive behavior. Journal of School Psychology, 16, 146-153.
