Anger Management Small Group Counseling

Anger Management and Small Group Counseling

Davon Campbell

Buena Vista University

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

Abstract

Increased student aggression has led to having more behavioral

problems in our school. Trajectories of anger have caused bodily reactions

and irrational thought processes. This action research proposal proposes to

determine the impact of small group anger management interventions on

students ability to manage anger triggers and raise their self-awareness of

physiological and cognitive reactions. Student outcomes will be evaluated to

determine the effectiveness of interventions designed to promote positive

change. Participants will include six middle-schoolers from grade levels 6-8.

Students and teachers will be administered pre-and-post group testing to

measure student growth. Perceptual data will be collected from students,

teachers, and parents to help assess overall effectiveness.

Literature Review

Anger is an emotion that can be uncontrollable and that can cause

bodily reactions to mobilize fight or flight responses. Research literature

often describes anger as an emotional storm that causes distressing

emotions to surface. Goleman (1994) describes the source of anger as an

impulsive reaction to feelings of being endangered. Anger can appear simply

from feelings of unfairness or injustice that changes a persons mood and

mindset. Research shows that unlike other emotions, anger is energizing as it

has persuasive power that can influence decision-making and bodily

reactions.
Anger Management Small Group Counseling

With the understanding that anger can cause acute stress that

activates a persons fight for flight response, Goleman (1994) noted some

universal triggers that can cause anger to surface. These triggers can be

recognized or defined as physical or symbolic threats. A persons perception

of being treated badly or as an inferior, looked down on or talk down to can

act as triggers to cause a surge in brain activity.

Neuroscientists have noted that anger creates a surge within the limbic

system that has significant roles in the regulation of human emotions and

drives (Goleman, 1994). The escalation of catecholamine in this area of the

brain causes a rise of energy concerning fright or flight response (Goleman,

1994). Also, adrenal and cortical excitation among the adrenocortical breach

of the limbic system causes an arousal of readiness that can last for

extended amounts of hours and even days at a time (Goleman, 1994.) As a

result, anger has also been medically found to affect the heart and increase

the risk of developing heart-related diseases and death. Thus, these findings

have helped us understand consequences of anger and why people are more

vulnerable to anger from past experiences or provoking stimuli.

Further, research has noted that one of the most effective ways to deal

with anger is by learning how to defuse it, by preventing and limiting the

control of the provoking stimuli. Goleman (1994) stressed improving one's

ability to self-regulate in order to withstand emotional storms, while keeping

distressful emotions in check, is essential. Being emotionally competent will

provide a person the skills to challenge distressful triggers, while

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

understanding of trajectories of anger will allow them to reappraise an

effectively distressful experience. As a result, developing emotional

intelligence will help cultivate more positive de-escalating or cooling-down

experiences. A person who has the tools can skillfully prevent negative trains

of thoughts that can manifest into range and destructive behavior.

As Goleman (1994) discussed how trajectories of anger can have

numerous health implications. Feindler and Engel (2011) indicated how anger

and aggression could lead to antisocial behavior patterns. They stressed that

if consistent patterns of aggression go untreated, they are positively

correlated with an increase of adjustment difficulties and antisocial

behaviors. They distinguished how African Americans and males are more

genetically vulnerable to the development of hyperactivity and impulsivity.

They are also more likely to participate in risky behavior, as these are

significant indicators of aggressive behaviors. Similarly, Jensen (1998)

described how prolonged apathetic states or demotivation can lead to the

development of learned helplessness. People that experience trauma, lack

control, and have distorted perceptions could foster the development of this

chronic condition.

To improve anger management skills, Feindler and Engel (2011)

support Golemans (1994) views of improving emotional intelligence as an

approach to managing physical and relational aggression. Also, they both

support a cognitive behavioral management training approach that

recognizes aversive triggers roles in the manifestation of physical arousal

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

and distorted perceptions. This approach focuses on tackling cognitive

deficiencies and distortions to improve a persons self-awareness of triggers,

both in their physiological and cognitive reactions. Using cognitive

restructuring strategies can positively change how a person appraises stimuli

internally, which can ensure more healthy distressful experiences.

Regardless, using this approach within a group setting can result in spillovers

of information that affect a clients confidentiality.

To ensure that students become emotionally competent adults, school

counselors, and educators have implemented school-wide anger

management programs that provide curriculum focused on violence

prevention, bullying, and aggression (e.g., proactive, instrumental, reactive).

Besides, schools also provide individual and small group anger management

interventions that focus on strategies and skills to cope and problem solve,

which will be our focus.

Besley (1999) indicated how students could benefit from individual and

group counseling intervention by providing an ACE (adapt, confront, escape)

coaching model to learn how to identify emotions effectively and respond to

angry situations. In return, students will learn problem-solving techniques

with an understanding of potential consequences of choices. These kinds of

interventions have been noted as useful to improve a students ability to use

skills and retain information learned in the classroom environment.

In comparison, Burt et al. (2012) suggest leadership groups as an

effective approach to anger management. As a result of an increase of

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

aggression and bullying in schools, school counselors have put a lot of

attention on relational competencies when developing intervention

programs. They assert the anger management groups need to be rational in

nature for it to be effective. Thus, they suggest that these groups should

involve students, school counselors, administrators, and parents. This

approach emphasizes the importance of reducing excessive anger and

improving a persons relational growth.

Recent research has also found leadership models using a social-

cognitive theory framework with active determinants as an effective anger

intervention (Burt et al., 2012). This approach includes highly specialized

goals and objectives that consider personal, relational, and environmental

factors that influence people. The integration of leadership skills within anger

management groups is seen to be critical in improving social and relational

competencies. Instead of students being destructive and aggressive, they

learn how to actively use active coping skills and other skills as support

systems. As a result, this school-based intervention can help decrease school

counselors caseloads and problematic behaviors, as well as improve student

relational competencies.

Lastly, to assess potential predictors and outcomes of interventions,

Mackintosh et al. (2014) suggest documenting variances correlated with

baseline anger symptom levels. It will be effective for school counselors to

analyze change over time. Educators can implement a model that assumes

change from pre and post treatment with an assessment of symptoms at

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

each follow-up. A second model that can be utilized is one that assesses

change over the course of the study. As a result, positive outcomes are

predicted to be maintained during later testing. Using reliable criterion

values and growth models, these assessment tools will assist in the

collection of reliable data.

Rationale

The goal of this action research proposal is to determine the impact of

small group anger management interventions on a students ability to

manage anger triggers and gain self-awareness of physiological and

cognitive reactions. A school counselor will provide small group-counseling

sessions that will focus on developing skills to successfully express and

manage anger. The intervention will provide students with the opportunity to

explore personal anger triggers and cues while exploring coping strategies

and identifying potential consequences of their behavior.

Interventions will be provided at McKinley Middle School, located within

a low-socioeconomic community. McKinley has a reputation of persistent

behavioral and classroom disruptions problems. These same issues

concerning inappropriate behavior and student discipline have caused

endangerment and safety concerns for students and teachers.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) that oversees

counselors and develop academic, career and emphasizes the school

counselors role in shaping social/emotional competent students. A

fundamental role of a school counselor is to enhance and build the

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

development of a comprehensive school-counseling program to meet

student needs. A lack of student resources, especially when there is a need,

will hinder a supportive and preventive learning environment.

Using research-based developmental appropriate curriculum

developed by professional school counselors will be of importance to

provide sessions focused on students acquiring personal knowledge, skills,

and understanding of specified counseling themes. This will help ensure that

counselors are using reliable tools for positive change of student self-

management and self-regulation skills. Techniques and strategies within

these intervention models utilize effective self-cuing strategies to engage

and challenge students to take control over their learning. As a result,

counselors can effectively improve a students behavioral performance.

Method

The school counselor will use small group counseling anger

management theme curriculum. The intervention group will consist of eight-

week structured lessons that will take place in a quiet room at the same

time. The school counselor will facilitate all interventions and be responsible

for scheduling groups with teachers and support staff. Collaborative efforts

between the counselor, administrators, and teachers will help pinpoint

students that will benefit from the intervention.

The counselor will receive prior consent from the students parents.

Group work will begin by outlining the groups purpose and the groups rules.

Before the intervention, students and teachers will be informed about

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

assessment tools that will be administered on a pre-post basis. After each

session, the counselor will provide teachers and parents with a summary of

the lesson and learned objectives. This summary will include any suggestions

that will help the student to apply the learned skills in the classroom/home

environment. The counselor will assess the effectiveness of the intervention

by using pre-post comparisons through discipline reports, student/teacher

behavior rating forms, and overall effectiveness perceptions of students,

teachers, and parents.

The independent variable for this action research study is the anger

management curriculum intervention. The student outcome is the dependent

variable. The predicted result of this study proposes that research-based

anger management interventions will improve students self-awareness of

anger triggers and clues to express and manage anger in a healthy manner.

Participants

Anger management groups will be provided with a total of six McKinley

Middle School students from grade levels 6-8 every eight weeks. Students

chosen to participate will be identified as at-risk. Our definition of at-risk

refers to any students who display consistent patterns of social irritation,

excessive aggressiveness, and poor decision-making and problem-solving

skills. Structure lesson will require students to discuss personal experiences

on topics concerning expressions of anger, root causes, and consequences.

Lessons will ask participants to collaborate with one another to successfully

apply learned skills.

Anger Management Small Group Counseling

Limitations

This study lacks external validity due to its design. The study can not

imply causation due to a lack of an intervention group that completely

untreated. Also, due to a lack of randomization, using selection bias the

study can not generalize the result to comprehend all students. Lastly,

teacher bias and expectation may influence data collection to reflect

teachers preconceptions of student learning.

Measures

Students will be administered pre-post anger management self-

assessment to develop ongoing goals and objectives. Perceptual data will

also be collected from teachers, parents, and students. Teachers will be

given pre-post group behavioral rating forms for each student that

participated in the intervention. Teacher, parents, and students will all be

given feedback forms to express their perceptions of the overall

effectiveness of the intervention. All data will be analyzed and compared to

share with key stakeholders to support a healthy development, emotional

competencies and assess intervention effectiveness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, todays students are faced with many barriers that are

sometimes outside their control. In recent years, schools have experienced

increases in student aggression. Thus, it has caused students to develop

social adjustment issues and poor self-regulation skills. As a result,

counselors are seeing increased caseloads and are forced to provide more
Anger Management Small Group Counseling

interventions specific to their students needs. To adequately address and

improve a students social/emotional development, counselors have been

implementing research-based interventions to equip students with the skills

to express and manage emotional triggers and clues. In return, students will

be able to use those strategies to become competent emotional problem

solvers.
Anger Management Small Group Counseling

References:

Besley, Kate R. 1999. "Anger Management: Immediate Intervention by

Counselor Coach." Professional School Counseling 3, no. 2: 81. Academic
Search

Burt, I., Patel, S., & Lewis, S. (2012). Anger Management Leadership Groups:
A Creative Intervention for Increasing Relational and Social
Competencies With Aggressive Youth. Journal of Creativity in Mental
Health, 249-261.

Feindler, E., & Engel, E. (2011). Assessment and intervention for adolescents
with anger and aggression difficulties in school settings. Psychol. Schs.
Psychology in the Schools, 243- 253.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.

Jensen, E. (1998). Teaching with the brain in mind (1st ed.). Alexandria, Va.:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Mackintosh, M., Morland, L., Kloezeman, K., Greene, C., Rosen, C., Elhai, J., &
Frueh, B. (2014). Predictors of Anger Treatment Outcomes. Journal of Clinical
Psychology J. Clin. Psychol., 905-913.