Anger and psychopathology in prison inmates

The relationship between anger and psychopathology was examined in a sample of 137 inmates. The State-Trait Anger Scale and the Anger Expression Inventory were used to measure anger and the Basic Personality Inventory was used to measure psychopathology. State and trait anger correlated positively with 8 and 9, respectively, out of 12 scales of psychopathology. The factor scales for the State-Trait Anger Scale, anger/hostility, arousal and situational anger correlated positively with 8, 9 and 4, respectively, out of 12 measures of psychopathology. Anger-control had an inverse relationship with 8 out of 12 measures of psychopathology, anger-out was positively related to measures of interpersonal problems, alienation, impulse expression and deviation, and anger-in had positive correlations with 11 out of 12 indices of psychopathology. Alternative treatment approaches which are sensitive to individual differences in anger style were discussed.