An analysis of anger expression in participants of a life skill education workshop from a school in Nagpur

Abstract

Background: Association Adolescent Child Care in India conducts Life Skills workshop (LSE) for children and adolescents across cities. This paper analyses the data of an anger management session in high school children. Objective: To analyse how anger is expressed in high school children and their families. Teaching various aspects of anger and constructive ways to express anger. Materials & Methods: A customized AACCI worksheet was given to 65 participants aged 13-15 years of age attending LSE workshop in Nagpur, India. Participants were asked how they express their anger; giving four choices and explaining what each is -venting, rationalization, withdrawal, and distraction. They were asked to fill in how their parents, siblings and their significant adult in their life express anger. Chi square test of independence was conducted to understand how children’s anger expression is related to familial expression of anger. Results: In this sample, from children’s data, we found distraction 50%, venting 29%, withdrawal 7% and rationalization 14%. In family patterns of expressing anger, venting was most common- mothers (58%) and fathers (40%). Rationalizing was the second most common way of expressing anger - mothers 31% and fathers 35%. Chi square revealed significant relationships at p<0.00001. Conclusion: Parents need to learn constructive ways of anger expression as role models. This study has shown that parental expression of anger influences children’s expression of anger. This sample of mid adolescence (13-15yrs) uses less impulsive and expressive means of expressing anger, those that reduce conflict situations. Limitations:This is a pilot study, hence sample is small. Larger sample is required for further validation. However we have got statistically significant results.