4 - (SYM 95) Which Cognitions Best Predict Dysfunctional Anger in College Age Youth?

Abstract Body
Cognitive Behavior Therapies (CBT) have emerged as the gold standard for treating dysfunctional anger. Despite the CBT treatments for anger, CBT is more effective for treating anxiety and depression than anger. This might occur because little consensus exists on which cognitions are the best predictors of dysfunctional anger. This study develops the Anger Cognitions Scale 3rd edition (ACS3) to measure 9 cognitive constructs hypothesized to predict dysfunctional anger, which could be targeted in treatment. The ACS3 assesses the cognitions of hostile attributions, overgeneralization, inflammatory labeling, demandingness, catastrophic evaluation, honor code, self-condemnation, frustration intolerance, and negative consequences of anger to determine the most influential constructs related to dysfunctional anger. We administered this scale and the Anger Dysfunction Scale to 536 college students and used regression analyses to see how they predicted dysfunctional anger.
All of the cognitions significantly predicted dysfunctional anger. However, only hostile attributions, negative consequences of anger, frustration intolerance, and honor code had significant unique variance in predicting anger. The honor code emerged as the strongest predictor of dysfunctional anger by far. Including it in the regression reduced the unique variance of all the other cognitions in predicting dysfunctional anger. The honor code involves elements of self-worth, self-preservation, demands for respect, and revenge. Although this is a well-studied construct in Social Psychology, it is not targeted in CBT treatments for anger. These strongly support the practice of clinicians assessing and targeting the honor code beliefs in anger treatments.