(PS12-6) The Intersection of Self-compassion and Peer Support with Feelings of Anger in Psychiatrically Hospitalized Teens

Introduction: Anger can have a productive function in motivating individuals to approach and solve problems. Though, it can also provide behavioral challenges which may lead adolescents to engage in aggressive behaviors. Aggressive behaviors toward self or others is one of the leading reasons for psychiatric hospitalizations in adolescents. Prior research has mostly focused on vulnerability factors that are associated with greater feelings of anger, while fewer studies focus on the potential protective factors linked with lower feelings of anger. Thus, this study examined the intersection of well-known protective interpersonal and intrapersonal factors– peer relationships and self-compassion–with anger in psychiatrically hospitalized teens.

Method: Participants consisted of 669 adolescents aged 11-17 admitted to the inpatient unit of a psychiatric mental health hospital in the Northeast. The average age was 14.9 years (SD= 1.74, range=6.90). 65.8% of participants were assigned female at birth, and 34.1%  were assigned male at birth. 31.5% of participants identified as male, 43.2% as female, 1.5%  as transgender female, 6.4% as transgender male, 2.2%  as transgender nonbinary, 11.9%  as genderfluid, and 8.1% as questioning, preferred not to answer, or “other.” A total of 65.5% were White, 17.6% were Black, 4.5% were Asian, 6.9% were American Indian/Alaskan Native, 30.6% were Hispanic/Latino, 1.6% identified as Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.5% were Middle Eastern, 3.9% identified as “other”, and 23.7% identified as multiracial.  23.4% of teens in our sample were admitted for anger-related behaviors toward others. Recent feelings of anger (past week) were assessed via the PROMIS Pediatric Anger Short Form, self-compassion was assessed via the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, and perceived level of peer support was measured via the PROMIS Pediatric Peer Relationships Short Form.

Results: Linear regression modeling showed a significant main effect of self-compassion (B=22.35, SE=1.91, p=0.00) but not peer support (p >.05) on recent feelings of anger. There was also a significant interactive effect of self-compassion and peer support on anger (B=-0.07, SE=0.03, p=0.03), such that youth with greater self-compassion who also had higher peer support evidenced the lowest anger scores. The findings were maintained when we statistically adjusted for participants' age, sex assigned at birth, or race. 

Limitations: The findings need to be viewed with the following limitations in mind: the study’s cross-sectional design and a single assessment of our constructs of interest. Future research using longitudinal designs and in-the-moment assessments of self-compassion, peer support, and anger is warranted. 

Discussion: These preliminary results highlight self-compassion as a potential modifiable target, particularly for teens with low social support, to reduce feelings of anger. More research on identifying protective factors that can help provide coping strategies for teens struggling with anger is warranted.