ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 1

FACTORS AFFECTING THE ANGER OF TEENAGERS:

A BASIS FOR ANGER MANAGEMENT

MICHAELA ANGELA BRIONES

JOANNA MARIE P. PARAGUISON

KIMBERLY NINE G. DULLAS

MILDREN L. ROMERO

DIANNE S. GARCIA

A thesis proposal presented to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College of Guimba, Inc., Guimba,

Nueva Ecija in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Bachelor of Science in Secondary

Education Major in Values Education.

March 2018
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 2

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

“Anger is t completely human, normal

and healthy human emotion. But when it gets

out of control and turns destructive, it can lead

to problems…”

-American Psychological Association

People are capable of feeling different emotions like sadness, happiness, hate, envy,

jealousy, and anger. However, anger is one of the most destructive of all emotions. It can change

a man into an animal. When anger takes control, it can make a person violent, aggressive and

unreasonable. A person tends to be vocal and starts shouting, curse, throw the things that come

within reach, slams the doors, treats people coldly and suppresses anger.

Here in Our lady of the Sacred Herat College, Inc. (OLSCHO), external expression of

anger can be observed from the daily lives of students through facial expressions, body language,

psychological responses, and at times public acts of aggression.

There are factors affecting every human being to feel anger. These can make a big impact

on one’s life especially when it causes someone to get an intense emotional response. In the cae

of OLSHCO students, examples that can stimulate anger are: impolite treatment of staffs (non-

teaching staff), giving unnecessary and too many requirements from instructors of minor subjects

(academic faculty), and conflicts among group mates (students).

ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 3

Anger is an initial response but it can last for a long term especially when a person do not

make a course of action to forget about it. People have various ways to reduce anger and it takes

different periods of time for an anger to ease depending on the person feeling it. If failed to

control anger, it will be the one to control a person. For this reason, a person needs to know

different ways to manage anger. Anger management is a way to recognize and control anger in a

positive way which can help an individual to relive stress and have a peace of mind. Note that

anger management is different from suppressing anger.

Since it is natural for an individual to feel anger, OLSHCO students certainly get angry

for particular problem. These students that belong to different levels of (Grade 11 and 12) at

OLSHCO have their own intensities of anger. The number of students from each level who have

strong feeling of displeasure might vary. Its relatively can yield a significant explanation that can

justify the reasons behind the anger that these students are feeling.

Based on the observations mentioned above, the researchers were motivated to conduct

this study that focuses on the factors that influence the anger of OLSHCO students, how long it

takes for them to ease this feeling of displeasure, the different ways of anger management and

what Grade level of OLSHCO students are the most prone to anger.

This research may specifically benefit, first, the school. It will help OLSHCO be

enlightened towards the reasons that cause the anger of students with to the non-academic staffs,

academic faculties as well as co-students. Second is the community. This study will help the

neighbours to know more about anger management. The research will benefit an individual to

have better self-control which can lead to betterment of society. The third one is the student. This

study will help assess the way the students react on different situations as well as the different
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 4

effective ways of handling anger. Lastly, this study will help the researchers develop into

productive youth molded by experience. This research will also help in contributing new

knowledge aside from time and effort.

Statement of the Problem

This study may specifically benefit:

1. What are socio-demographic characteristics among the respondents

a. Age

b. Sex

c. Income

d. Academic Status

2. What are the factors causing anger among teenage students of Our Lady of the Sacred

Heart College?

3. What is the level of anger among the respondents?

4. Which factor causing high level of anger to students?

a. Student to student

b. Students to non-academic staff

c. Student to teaching staff

5. What are the common manifestations of anger of students?

a. Psychological

b. Physiological
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 5

c. Behavioural

6. What are the common ways on handling anger among the respondents?

Hypothesis

1. There is no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and level

of anger among students?

2. There is no significant relationship between factors of anger and anger management of

students?

Scope and Limitation

The scope of this study is exclusively for grade 11 and 12 students of Our Lady of the

Sacred Heart College. The locale of this research is particularly in Guimba, Nueva Ecija, and a

catholic school under Association of Catholic Educational System under the Diocese of San Jose

headed by Most. Rev. Bishop Roberto C. Mallari, D.D. with the supervision of the

superintendent Rev. Fr. Lloyd A. Nepumoceno. The study will cover randomly selected

participants from Senior High School Department, Non-Teaching Personnel and Teaching Staff.

This study will follow the objectives given above.

Significance of the study

The importance of this study is timely and relevant to students, teachers, administrators,

parents, guidance services staff and future researcher to develop a more complex strategy on how

to identify, cope and manage anger among their clienteles.

Students
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 6

This research is basically intended for students who are experiencing anger toward their

fellow students, teachers or academic staff as well as non-teaching personal to understand the

unpinning reason or cause of their emotional response such as anger. The main reason why this

study has been conceptualized is to have at least give them the basic requirement to process their

extreme emotional feeling manifested in different ways rooted in their anger to cope and manage

such kind.

Teachers

This is also importance to those people under academic staff to understand the students’

anger as their initial response if they unconsciously treat their student in undesirable manner.

Also, this has been made to show to the academic staff that somehow they need to understand

student behaviour base on what students’ frame of reference.

Administrators or Non-Teaching Personnel

The research is suited for school administration whereas one of the factors causing

students’ anger is personnel under this division. Many of the assumptions of this study found out

that undesirable treatment to students by different assigned personnel. This is for the reason that,

they need to understand the dynamics of students and that is to be considered. Also in this

situation, people from this department shall learn how to deal with different behaviours so they

can adjust or adapt.

Guidance Services Staff

In making this research, one of the inspirations of the writers is to give at least a step to

guidance office and/or personnel to work for their anger management program suited for
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 7

students. In relation to the findings of this study, result will be their basis in creating a more

comprehensive and effective ways on how to deal and handle triggering situation causes students

to feel angry.

Future Researchers

This attempt for understanding the causes of anger of teenagers will help the future

researcher to improve the quality of working a wide range study in both public and private

institution in relation to anger. In addition, they can also associate other variables such as culture,

ethnicity, religion, as well as personality in anger and management of this kind.

Definition of terms

Academic Staff-this refers to the people who have a direct interaction with students such

as adviser, subject teachers and/or substitute.

Academic Status-this refers to status of students in school specifically in terms of

academics. This academic status may be in regular, probation or warning.

Age-this refers to chronological age of the respondents.

Anger-this refers to initial emotional response of the respondents to triggering situations

in school.

Anger Management-this pertains to the program being generated using the results of the

study. This could be in form of individual or group processing and or seminar related on how to

manage anger.
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 8

Coping Styles-this pertains to the way the students make their own mechanisms in

responding to triggering situation that causes them to feel anger. For an instance, shouting,

listening to music, and or argument.

Stress-pertaining to things that triggers the anger of students for example requirements to

school, incoming date of examination and or high standards of teachers.

Depression-pertaining to feelings of students who normally experience loss of interest in

any school activities that sometime lead to suicide or dropping out the subject.

Emotional Response-this response is in form of emotions such s crying, shouting and or

locking oneself to a room.

Income-this pertains to annual family income of student base on the occupation of the

parents

Non-academic Personnel-this refers to personnel that has no direct interaction to

students. These are administrators, maintenance and/or security.

Physiological Manifestations-this pertains to reaction of students when they are angry

for an instance, faster heartbeat, trembling of voice or heart attack.

Psychological Manifestations-this pertains to reactions of students towards angry for

example, giving arguments, shouting and or depression.

Sex-this pertains to female and male respondents

ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 9

Conceptual Framework

This juncture shows the relationship of variables such as socio-demographic

characteristics of respondents, factors affecting angers of teenagers, manifestations of anger,

level of anger, coping styles, and how they deal and mange anger.

FACTORS
INFLUENCING
ANGERS OF
SOCIO- COPING
TEENAGERS
DEMOGRAPHIC STYLES
CHARACTERISTICS Fellow students
(Ways on how to
Academic staff
Age deal and manage
(teachers)
Sex anger towards
Non-academic
Income different
personnel
Academic status situation/sources)
(maintenance,
security, admin
staff)

PLANNING OF
ANGER
MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 10

Figure 1.

The figure shows how the variables being treated such as socio-demographic

characteristics of respondents in terms of age, sex (male or female), income (annual income), and

academic status (regular, probation, warning) will be seen through percentages and means. Those

given values from the socio-demographic characteristics will be correlated to the level of anger

among the respondents. Also, this illustration presents particular sources of anger influencing

students to response in this manner. Moreover, it is seen in figure that after identifying the

sources of anger among the students’ different coping styles may be presented in the table. When

the coping styles of students have been enumerated that would the basis for the effective

planning of anger management program of the responsible personnel specifically guidance

office.
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 11

CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

Anger or wrath is an intense emotional response. It is an emotion that involves a strong

uncomfortable and emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. Anger can

occur when a person feels their boundaries are being or going to be violated. Some have a

learned tendency to react to anger through retaliation as a way of coping. Raymond Novaco of

University of California Irvine, who since 1975 has published a plethora of literature on the

subject, stratified anger into here modalities: cognitive (appraisals), somatic-affective (tensions

and agitations), and behavioural (withdrawal and antagonism). Defoore (2017), an anger-

management writer, described anger as a pressure cooker: we can only apply pressure against our

anger for a certain amount of time until it explodes.

Ellis and Tafrate (1997), regards anger as a negative emotion that can be both appropriate

and inappropriate. Also, Dryden (2000) has made the distinction between healthy versus

unhealthy anger. This unhealthy and dysfunctional anger is probably the most frequent reason

why a client is referred for anger treatments.

As stated by O’Neill (2006), it is widely assumed that anger occurs as a result of

frustration, perceived threat or belief that a person injustice has occurred. Common triggers are

social or interpersonal in nature. They may be related to direct external situation, such as being

thwarted or internal stimuli, such as memories when running old tapes. A person experiencing an

image of his/her friend laughing at him/her may feel embarrassed and then incensed; or a sense

of injustice, if the expectation is not met.

ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 12

The eventual state of anger arousal may also originate an anxiety. Hence if a person is not

keeping up with a conversation, their initial interpretation will lead to physiological symptoms of

anxiety. This arousal may then convert to anger if the cognitions change. Once aroused, the

cognition functions will be less effective. Consequently, the person’s attention, abstract

reasoning and social inferential ability will deteriorate. This can lead to further anger, as the

person is primed to misjudged situations, detect sarcasm and miss humour or is quick to take

offence (Hartley, 1995).

All this can be influenced by a person’s pre-anger state, for an instance, how tired,

grumpy, hot, hungry and stressed they are, and also how busy the environment is. Hence,

Novaco (1994b) sees anger as an effective stress reaction and it is suggested that this can be

magnified if a person has difficulty recognizing, managing and/or expressing emotions.

As stated, there is considerable overlap between anger, hostility and aggression, yet one

does necessarily lead to the other. An angry person may or may not express their anger, and if

they do, it can be in variety of forms (O’Neill, 2006).

Faced with the same situation, some people will feel angry and others will show anger, in

a variety of ways, while others will keep anger to themselves. As well as differences between the

way individuals react to triggering situations. People responses can vary according to their

gender, age, ethnicity, religion, social position or family history. The expectations of the people

close to us or of society in general can influence how individual act. For example, some people

think it is less acceptable for women to raise voice in anger than for men to do the same. That

may be why women tend to internalize their anger more than men, turning it in on themselves

rather than letting it out in words or actions. Throughout our lives we get used to behaving in set
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 13

ways in reactions to certain situations. These learnt behaviours can form a pattern which is

sometimes hard to break. The way that parents when they are angry can influence how their

children deal with anger throughout their lives (Mental Health Foundation, 2008).

According to Medd and Tate (2000), anger can be a predictor of aggression. People often

think of anger and aggression as the same thing, but researchers estimated that people get

aggressive just 10 percent of the times that they get angry. In addition, anger is an emotional

state and aggression is just one of the ways that people behave when they angry. Aggressive

behaviours can be physical or verbal and gives the signal that someone intends to cause harm. It

can mean people, become violent towards others or throw things. Aggression often takes over

people act on their instinct to protect themselves or others. Alcohol can make some people act

more aggressively and drug use can similarly lower our inhibitions...

People use variety of both conscious and unconscious processes to deal with their angry

feelings. Expressing your angry feelings can be done in violent destructive ways or in an

assertive, but non-aggressive manner. Hopefully, the person who is angry has learned, or will

learn, how to make clear what their needs are, and how to get them met, without hurting others

(Berger, 2005).

Moreover, people often express their anger verbally. They may shout, threaten, use

dramatic words, bombard someone with hostile questions or exaggerate the impact on them of

someone else’s action. Some people who are angry get their own back indirectly by acting the

martyr. They get their own way by making people feel guilty and playing on that guilt. Others

develop a cynical attitude and constantly criticize everything, but never address problems

constructively. People who internalize their anger may self-harm when they are angry because
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 14

they find it hard to deal with their emotions. They deliberately harm themselves, usually in

secret, as a way of coping with intense feelings they cannot express another way. Self-harm is

most among young people. They may feel it gives them a release from their anger, but any relief

is only temporary and, like many more obvious ways of expressing anger. Self-harming does

not solve problems long term (Mental Health Foundations, 2008).

Like other emotions is accompanied by physiological and biological changes. When you

get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones,

adrenaline and noradrenalin, your rate of breathing increases and your body’s muscle tense up.

While anger has a physiological preparation phase during which body resources are mobilized

for a fight, it is also has a wind-down phase as well. The body starts to relax back towards its

resting state when the target of the anger is no longer accessible or an immediate threat. It is

difficult to relax from angry state very quickly. The adrenaline-caused arousal that occurs during

anger lasts a very long time (many hours, sometimes days), and lowers the anger threshold,

making it easier to the resting state (Berger 2005).

Also study states that, anger involves a total body response. The limbic system gets the

anger message, triggers the pituitary gland, and sends its messenger (hormones) through the

nervous system and bloodstream to the adrenal glands. If you think back to the last time you

were really angry, you may remember some startling body changes going along with the

emotions: faster heartbeat, increased blood circulation, faster breathing, flushed face,

perspiration, clenching of fists, and tightening of other muscles. Altogether, there’s a lot of stress

going on inside. And of course, there are some instances when uncomfortable and violent

tantrums are hardly something to be commended. But in general, far more problems are caused
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 15

by holding anger in than by letting it out in simple, easy ways while the anger is still small,

immediate and manageable.

Unhealthy episodes of anger, when hold it in for long period of time, turn in inward, or

explode in rage, can wreak havoc on one’s body (Everyday Health Media, LLC, 2017). The

constant flood of stress chemicals and associated metabolic changes that go with recurrent

unmanaged anger can eventually cause harm to many different systems of the body. Some of the

short and long-term health problems that have been linked to unmanaged anger include:

headache, digestion problems, such as abdominal pain, insomnia, increased anxiety, depression,

high blood pressure, skin problems, such as eczema, heart attack and stroke (Victoria, 2016).

A pressure cooker is often used as a metaphor for anger, where anger builds up inside a

person like steam inside a pressure cooker. Using this analogy, there are three ways to deal with

the building up of steam. One way is to keep the pressure inside the cooker until it explodes. A

second way is the reduce the pressure by periodically siphoning off some of the steam, as

described using common terms such as “venting” and “blowing off steam”. The third (and best)

way is to lower the flame and reduce the heat rather than anger inside expressing it outwardly,

get rid f it. Stuffing anger harms the self. Expressing anger harms the self and others (Bushman,

2013).
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 16

CHAPTER 3

Methodology

Research Design

The study will used a descriptive type of research in determining the factors affecting the

anger of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College Grade 11 and 12 students, its duration, the

different ways to control anger and different grade level prone to anger. Specifically, survey will

be used by means of giving questionnaires the respondents. In addition, this study will use

quantitative research method.

Participants

The participants of this study are students enrolled in Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

College in the school year 2017-2018. A total of 200 students from Grade 11 and 12 (100 males

and 100 females) which will randomly selected by the researchers in the research process.

Random sampling method will be used in selecting the participants.

Instrumentation

The researchers will use questionnaires divided into three parts. The first part is the letter

for the respondents, second is the socio-demographic profile, (age, sex, income, academic status,

grade level and track), and the last part consists of three sections.

The first one consists of the reasons behind the anger of OLSHCO students. The

questionnaires are in the 4-point Likert type scale (4-strongly agree, 3-agree, 2-disagree, and 1-

strongly disagree). For the second section, respondents will check the boxes corresponding to the
ANGER AND MANAGEMENT AMONG OLSCHO TEENAGER STUDENTS 17

duration of their anger. The last part is the different ways of anger management in which the

respondents will check up to five boxes which correspond to their ways of controlling anger.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will gather data through convenient process in giving out questionnaires

to the respondents at OLSHCO Grade 11 and 12. The date will be treated confidentially.

Plan for Data Analysis

The researchers will compute the mean (average) of the responses for each factors stated

to determine what influences the anger of OLSHCO students. Meanwhile, the percentage will be

used to present the data that will be gathered involving the different ways of anger management

and which grade is most prone to anger.