Anger Management

• Novaco suggests that cognitive factors trigger the emotional arousal which generally precedes aggressive acts. His argument is that, in some people, anger is often quick to surface especially in situations that are perceived to be anxiety-inducing or threatening.
• Becoming angry is reinforced by the individuals feeling of control in that situation. Anger management programmes are a form of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT).
• The individual is taught how to recognise the cognitive factors that trigger their anger and loss of control, and then encouraged to develop techniques which bring about conflict resolution without the need for violence.
• 3 Stages:

  • Cognitive preparation
  • Skills acquisition
  • Application practice
• Cognitive Preparation

  This stage requires an offender to reflect on past experience and consider the typical pattern of their anger. The offender learns to identify those situations which act as triggers to anger and, if the way in which the offender interprets the even is irrational, the therapists role is to make this clear.
• Cognitive Preparation

  The offender may view someone looking at them or their partner as an act of confrontation. In redefining the situation as non-threatening, the therapist is attempting to break what may well be an automatic response for the offender.
• Skills Acquisition

  Offenders are introduced to a range of techniques and skills to help them deal with anger provoking situations more rationally and effectively.
• Skills Acquisition - Cognitive

  • positive self-talk to encourage calmness, for example, we are all familiar with the idea of counting to ten to temper our reaction to a stressful event.
• Skills Acquisition - Behavioural

  • assertiveness training in how to communicate more effectively which will become an automatic response if practised regularly.
• Skills Acquisition- Physiological

  • deal with the physical reaction to anger such as using relaxation training or meditation.The aim is to control one's emotions rather than being controlled by them.
• Application Practice

  Keen studied the progress made with young offenders aged between 17 and 21 who took part in a nationally recognised anger management programme. The National Anger Management Package was developed by the England and Wales Prison Service. The course comprises eight two-hour sessions, the first seven over a three-week period with the last session a month afterwards, and the content broadly follows what is described above.
• Application Practice

  Although there were initial issues in terms of offenders not taking the course seriously, and individuals forgetting routines such as the requirement to bring their diary, the final outcomes were generally positive. Offenders reported increased awareness of their anger management difficulties and an increased capacity to exercise self-control.