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Cognitive-Behavioral, Anger-Control Intervention for Elementary School Children: A Treatment-Outcome Study

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Journal of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy

Abstract

The effectiveness of a 10-session, weekly, anger-control intervention for aggressive fourth- and fifth-grade boys was investigated. Thirty-three boys, aged 9–11, were referred by teachers and school psychologists due to anger-related problems and assigned to four- to seven-member groups, which received either cognitive-behavioral treatment or no treatment. All participants and their teachers completed a pre- and post-test battery, which included the Pediatric Anger Expression Scale, the Children's Inventory of Anger, and the Teacher Rating Scale. The treatment condition used cognitive-behavioral training to help the students identify the experiences and control the expression of their anger. Compared to the attention-control condition, participants of the treatment groups displayed a significant reduction on teacher reports of aggressive and disruptive behavior (p < .02) and a significant improvement on self-reports of anger control (p < .05). Results are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of the behavioral and cognitive components of the program.

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Sukhodolsky, D.G., Solomon, R.M. & Perine, J. Cognitive-Behavioral, Anger-Control Intervention for Elementary School Children: A Treatment-Outcome Study. Journal of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy 10, 159–170 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009488701736

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