High Trait Anger Mexican Youth: Characteristics, Parental Anger, and Counseling Needs

Abstract

This study compared three groups of Mexican youth: (1) high trait anger adolescents recognizing anger problems (HR); (2) high trait anger youth not reporting anger problems (HNR); and (3) low trait anger adolescents not reporting anger problems (LNR). The HR group was sizable, representing 21% of all students and 72% of high anger youth. Compared to LNR, high anger groups (HR and HNR) experienced more angry feelings, engaged in anger suppression (e.g., holding anger in and harboring grudges) and aggressive anger expression (e.g., urges to aggression, physical aggressive anger expression toward others and toward self and objects), and reported lower internal and external anger control (e.g., relaxing and controlling one's behavior when angry). High anger groups also reported greater trait anger in both parents than LNR, suggesting parent's anger is a risk factor for anger in adolescents. HR and HNR groups, however, did not differ on any variable. Findings for high anger groups supported the intensity, aggression, and reduced positive coping hypotheses of State-Trait Anger Theory. Findings were also discussed in terms of the counseling needs of high anger Mexican youth and State-Trait Theory.