Anger as a Predictor of Aggression Among Incarcerated Adolescents

• NCJ Number: 178978
• Journal: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 67 Issue: 1 Dated: February 1999 Pages: 108-115
• Author(s): Dewey G. Cornell; Catherine S. Peterson; Herbert Richards
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article evaluates the validity of trait anger as a predictor of aggressive behavior among juvenile offenders.

Abstract

Sixty-five recently incarcerated male adolescents completed two standard self-report anger scales. These youths were followed prospectively for physical and verbal aggression during 3 months of subsequent incarceration. Anger scores were not correlated with participant history of violent offending or staff ratings of anger. However, anger scores from both instruments were predictive of subsequent physical and verbal aggression. The Trait Anger scale successfully classified 66 percent of juvenile offenders into high and low aggressive groups; receiver operating characteristic analysis obtained an effect size of .72. These results support the predictive value of self-reported anger in identifying juvenile offenders at risk for institutional aggression. Tables, figure, references