Anger management for adolescents: efficacy of brief group therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of a brief, manual-based group therapy for adolescents with poor anger control. A previously developed anger management treatment package of 10 to 12 sessions was condensed to a 4-session package to be given within 2 weeks. Immediate effectiveness and the transfer of skills were investigated; anger management skills not only had to be acquired, they also had to be used in the adolescents' natural social interactions.
METHOD: Fifty adolescent psychiatric inpatients were selected for high levels of anger and randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. Pre- and posttreatment measures were administered to subjects and adults who rated the subjects' behaviors.
RESULTS: Pre/post self-report measures, as well as behavior ratings by adults, indicated that the patients who went through the anger management series exhibited significantly improved skills.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that the intervention for adolescents was effective even though it was condensed, but it should not be further abbreviated.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes