Abstract
Purpose: This descriptive correlational study was designed to investigate the relation of trait anger and anger expression to menstrual symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms in female undergraduate students, and to examine anger expression (anger-in, anger-out, and anger-control) as a moderator in the association between trait anger and outcome variables. Methods: One hundred and seventy-seven female undergraduate students were conveniently sampled from K University and S College located in Seoul, Korea. The instruments were Spielberger's state-trait anger expression inventory - Korean version, Chesney & Tasto's menstrual symptoms questionnaire, and Kim*s personality factor scale for psychosomatic symptoms of adolescence. Results: The severity level of menstrual symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms were higher in the female undergraduate students with relatively high trait anger score. There was a significant interaction between trait anger and anger-in with psychosomatic symptoms.Female undergraduate students were categorized with 'anger-in/out type 5 , ‘low anger expression type’, and 'anger-control type’ by cluster analysis. The anger- in/out type complained more psychosomatic symptoms than the other two types. Conclusions: The finding suggests that trait anger is an independent risk factor for menstrual symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms and anger-in has a moderating effect in the association between trait anger and psychosomatic symptoms.
Published Version
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