Developing a clinical typology of dysfunctional anger

作者：Ahmed Adekunle G; Kingston Drew A; DiGiuseppe Raymond; Bradford John M; Seto Michael C^*

来源：Journal of Affective Disorders, 2012, 136(1-2): 139-148.

DOI：10.1016/j.jad.2011.09.008

• Dysfunctional anger
• Anger types
• Aggression
• Impulsivity
• Hostility
• Diagnosis

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 SOD-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.

• 出版日期2012-1