Expression of Anger: Its Relationship to Assertion and Social Desirability among College Women

Abstract

The Anger Expression Scale, the Assertion Inventory, and Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale were administered to 282 college women as part of a larger study. Significant Pearson product-moment correlations were obtained. The Anger-in (Suppression) subscale of the Anger Expression Scale was positively related to the Assertion Inventory. The Anger-out (Expression) subscale was uncorrelated with the Assertion Inventory. Both inventories were inversely related to the Marlowe-Crowne scores. These findings suggest that more unassertive scores are related to higher levels of Anger-in (Suppression) and lower levels of Anger-out (Expression). Both inventories seem somewhat susceptible to social desirability responding.