Pilot study on the effect of an effective anger management group based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Introduction: Anger is frequent in emotional disorders and is associated with greater severity and worse response to treatment. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) interventions can be effective in achieving effective anger management. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of participating in an anger management skills training group.

Methods: Fifteen participants were assessed regarding interpersonal relationships (IIP-32), emotional regulation (DERS), state, trait, expression and control of anger (STAXI-2), quality of life index (QLI-Sp) and self-efficacy were measured. They were evaluated before and after 12 weekly meetings of 2 hours duration.

Results: An increase in perceived self-efficacy to regulate anger (p < .01), and a decrease in levels of emotional dysregulation (p < .01) and estrait temperament (p < .05) were observed. Significant increases were observed in the levels of external and internal expression of anger (p < .05; p < .01), and in the anger expression index (p < .001). No differences were observed with respect to interpersonal problems, temperament-state, external and internal control of anger, or quality of life.

Results and conclusions: The effective anger management skills training group demonstrated favourable results for some characteristics associated with anger. The increase in others would be related to the conceptual framework of anger of the different psychometric tools and the DBT model. This study shows promising preliminary results for a DBT-based skills training group for effective anger management.