Anger, Problem Behaviors, and Health Status in Adolescent Women

Abstract

This cross-sectional study was designed to identify anger-expression types of adolescent women and investigate the relation between the identified anger-expression types and their problem behaviors and health status. One hundred ninety nine high school freshmen were recruited from September to November, 2003. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, chi(2)-test, ANOVA, and Duncan's multiple comparison test. Three anger-expression types in adolescent women were found; Anger-out/in, Anger-control/in, and Anger- control type. Adolescent women with frequently using the anger-out/in type and with higher state anger reported more delinquent behaviors, more health risk behaviors, and higher psychosomatic symptoms. However, adolescent women with lower state anger and frequently using the anger-control type reported more depression scores. There is a need to further clarify the relationship between anger-expression types and depression in adolescent women. The findings suggest the necessity of a development of the program for lowering the anger level and controlling the unfavorable anger expression types such as the anger-out in.