Anger Management Flashcards
What type of treatment is anger management?
Cognitive behaviour
What did Novaco suggest?
Cognitive factors trigger emotional arousal which generally precede aggressive acts. In some ways people’s anger is quick to surface especially when people feel threatened and being angry is reinforced by the individuals feeling of control.
What do the AM programmes such as CBT do?
Encourage the person to develop techniques that bring about conflict resolution without the need for violence. This is done in three stages
What are the three stages of anger management?
Cognitive preparation
Skills acquisition
Application practice
What is cognitive preparation?
Offender reflects on past experience and considers their typical anger pattern. The offender learns to recognise those situations which trigger and realise the way in which they interpret the event as irrational. The therapists role is to make this clear. In re-defining the situation as non-threatening the therapist is trying to break what has become an automatic response
What is skills acquisition?
Offenders are given a number of techniques and skills to help them deal with anger provoking situations in a rational way. They can be cognitive e.g. self talk, behavioural e.g. assertiveness and how to communicate more effectively and physiological such as of methods of relaxation. The latter promotes the idea that it is possible for offenders to control their emotions rather than be ruled by them
What is application practice?
In the final phase offenders are given the opportunity to practice their skills within a carefully controlled environment. Such role ply is likely to involve the offender and the therapist re-enacting scenarios that may have led to feelings of anger or violence in the past. It requires commitment from the offender in order to assess progress. Successful negotiation of the role play will result in positive reinforcement from the therapist
What was Keen’s research?
Studies the progress made with young offenders aged 17-21 who took part in a recognised anger management programme. Updated in 1995 the National Anger Management package was developed by the England and Wales prison service.
8 x 2 hour sessions, the first seven over a three week period and the last a month afterwards
Although some did not take the course seriously and individuals forgetting the routines, the outcomes were generally positive
Offenders had increased awareness awareness of anger management difficulties and increased capacity of self-control
What is a strength of the approach?
Eclectic approach - anger management works as it includes cognitive preparation to identify precursors in phase one, behavioural techniques when developing techniques of self-management
How does AM compare to behaviour modification?
It tackles one of the causes rather than superficial surface behaviour. Experiencing treatment programmes may give offenders insight into criminal activities and therefore they discover more may to successfully manage their behaviour. It is logical to think that AM is more likely to lead to long-term behavioural change and lower rates of recidivism
Who suggested there was limited long-term effects?
Blackburn - whilst anger management may have noticeable effect in the conduct of prisoners in the short term there is little evidence of reduced recidivism in the long term. This may be because they rely on artificial role-play. Even though the programmes are delivered outside the prison they are still very different to a Saturday night when people are drunk
Why may anger not cause offending?
The causal relationship between anger and offending may be false
Loza and Loza-Fanus used a range of psychometric measured and found no difference in the levels of anger between those offenders classed as violent and those classed as non-violent. They also suggest that such programmes could provide offenders with a justification for their behaviour. Furthermore, many crimes are not motivated by anger
What is a final weakness of this technique?
It is expensive and requires commitment - requires the service of highly trained professionals who are used to dealing with violent offenders. Many prisons may not be able to fund the programme due to lack of money. Also success is dependent on co-operation which may not be there.
