The Relationship between Suppressed Anger and Psychosocial Distress in African American Male Adolescents

Abstract

The goal of this investigation was to examine the relationship between suppressed anger, somatic symptoms, sleep disturbances, social support, the occurrence of the stressful life events, health risk factors, and the frequent experience of intense feelings of anger among African American male adolescents. The results indicated that African American males who cope with stress and provocations with chronically high levels of suppressed anger have significantly fewer close friends and family members to talk with about their personal problems; their personal problems were also more distressing and related to intense angry reactions. Adolescents who frequently suppress angry feelings reported that their level of comfort and self-esteem was lower while confiding in close friends and family members about their personal problems. Symptoms of cardiovascular arousal, sleep disturbances, and stressful life events were reported more often by adolescents who frequently held in (suppressed) their angry feelings. Similarly, adolescents with high levels of suppressed anger were significantly heavier than African American males with lower levels of suppressed anger. There was also a tendency for other health risk factors (smoking, drinking, blood pressure) to vary as a function of the level of suppressed anger. It is suggested that psychotherapy with young African American males may be seriously hindered by processes described in this research. However, cognitive-behavioral intervention techniques focusing on lowering the "general" level of anger-hostility and tension while increasing the overt expression of anger and enhancing the development of appropriate strategies for coping with provocations seem useful.