Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-2lccl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T04:29:10.549Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Prevalence and correlates of anger in the community: results from a national survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 June 2014

Mayumi Okuda ,
Julia Picazo ,
Mark Olfson ,
Deborah S. Hasin ,
Shang-Min Liu ,
Silvia Bernardi  and
Carlos Blanco
Mayumi Okuda*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Julia Picazo
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Instituto de Investigaciones Neuropsiquiátricas Dr. López Ibor, Madrid, Spain
Mark Olfson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Deborah S. Hasin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Shang-Min Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Silvia Bernardi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
Carlos Blanco
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: Mayumi Okuda, Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box #81, New York, NY 10032, USA. (Email: mo2339@columbia.edu)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction

Little is known about the prevalence and correlates of anger in the community.

Methods

We used data derived from a large national sample of the U.S. population, which included more than 34,000 adults ages 18 years and older. We defined inappropriate, intense, or poorly controlled anger by means of self-report of the following: (1) anger that was triggered by small things or that was difficult to control, (2) frequent temper outbursts or anger that lead to loss of control, or (3) hitting people or throwing objects in anger.

Results

The overall prevalence of inappropriate, intense, or poorly controlled anger in the U.S. population was 7.8%. Anger was especially common among men and younger adults, and was associated with decreased psychosocial functioning. Significant and positive associations were evident between anger and parental factors, childhood, and adulthood adverse events. There were strong associations between anger and bipolar disorder, drug dependence, psychotic disorder, borderline, and schizotypal personality disorders. There was a dose-response relationship between anger and a broad range of psychopathology.

Conclusions

A rationale exists for developing screening tools and early intervention strategies, especially for young adults, to identify and help reduce anger.

Keywords

Adverse life eventsangerepidemiologypersonality disorderspsychiatric comorbidity
Type
Original Research
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 130 - 139
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Smith, TW. Concepts and methods in the study of anger, hostility and health. In: Siegman AW, Smith TW, eds. Anger, Hostility and the Heart. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum; 1994: 23–42.Google Scholar
2. Posternak, MA, Zimmerman, M. Anger and aggression in psychiatric outpatients. J Clin Psychiatry. 2002; 63(8): 665–672.Google Scholar
3. Frasure-Smith, N, Lespérance, F. Depression and other psychological risks following myocardial infarction. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003; 60(6): 627–636.Google Scholar
4. Kassinove, H, Sukhodolsky, DG. Anger disorders: basic science and practice issues. Issues Compr Pediatr Nurs. 1995; 18(3): 173–205.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Maneta, E, Cohen, S, Schulz, M, Waldinger, RJ. Links between childhood physical abuse and intimate partner aggression: the mediating role of anger expression. Violence Vict. 2012; 27(3): 315–328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Swogger, MT, Walsh, Z, Homaifar, BY, Caine, ED, Conner, KR. Predicting self- and other-directed violence among discharged psychiatric patients: the roles of anger and psychopathic traits. Psychol Med. 2012; 42(2): 371–379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Dougherty, DD, Rauch, SL, Deckersbach, T, etal. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex and amygdala dysfunction during an anger induction positron emission tomography study in patients with major depressive disorder with anger attacks. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004; 61(8): 795–804.Google Scholar
8. Fraguas, R Jr, Papakostas, GI, Mischoulon, D, etal. Anger attacks in major depressive disorder and serum levels of homocysteine. Biol Psychiatry. 2006; 60(3): 270–274.Google Scholar
9. Chemtob, CM, Novaco, RW, Hamada, RS, Gross, DM, Smith, G. Anger regulation deficits in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. J Trauma Stress. 1997; 10(1): 17–36.Google Scholar
10. Feeny, NC, Zoellner, LA, Foa, EB. Anger, dissociation, and posttraumatic stress disorder among female assault victims. J Trauma Stress. 2000; 13(1): 89–100.Google Scholar
11. Gould, RA, Ball, S, Kaspi, SP, etal. Prevalence and correlates of anger attacks: a two site study. J Affect Disord. 1996; 39(1): 31–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Litt, MD, Cooney, NL, Morse, P. Reactivity to alcohol related stimuli in the laboratory and in the field: predictors of craving in treated alcoholics. Addiction. 2000; 95(6): 889–900.Google Scholar
13. Goldstein, RZ, Alia-Klein, N, Leskovjan, AC, etal. Anger and depression in cocaine addiction: association with the orbitofrontal cortex. Psychiatry Res. 2005; 138(1): 13–22.Google Scholar
14. Patterson, F, Kerrin, K, Wileyto, EP, Lerman, C. Increase in anger symptoms after smoking cessation predicts relapse. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008; 95(1–2): 173–176.Google Scholar
15. Schieman, S. Socioeconomic status and the frequency of anger across the life course. Sociological Perspectives. 2003; 46(2): 207–222.Google Scholar
16. Alia-Klein, N, Goldstein, RZ, Tomasi, D, etal. Neural mechanisms of anger regulation as a function of genetic risk for violence. Emotion. 2009; 9(3): 385–396.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Truman, JL, Rand, MR. National Crime Victimization Survey Criminal Victimization, 2009. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics; 2010, NCJ 231327.Google Scholar
18. Grant, BF, Kaplan, KK, Stinson, FS. Source and Accuracy Statement: The Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; 2005.Google Scholar
19. Grant, BF, Hasin, DS, Stinson, FS, etal. Prevalence, correlates, and disability of personality disorders in the United States: results for the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004; 65(7): 948–958.Google Scholar
20. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Data on health and well-being of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and other Native Americans. Data Catalog Contract No. 233-02-0087. Rockville, MD: Westat; 2006. http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/06/Catalog-AI-AN-NA/.Google Scholar
21. Grant, BF, Dawson, DA, Stinson, FS, etal. The Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-IV (AUDADIS-IV): reliability of alcohol consumption, tobacco use, family history of depression and psychiatric diagnostic modules in a general population sample. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2003; 71(1): 7–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22. Ruan, WJ, Goldstein, RB, Chou, SP, etal. The alcohol use disorder and associated disabilities interview schedule-IV (AUDADIS-IV): reliability of new psychiatric diagnostic modules and risk factors in a general population sample. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008; 92(1–3): 27–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23. Cottler, LB, Grant, BF, Blaine, J, etal. Concordance of DSM-IV alcohol and drug use disorder criteria and diagnoses as measured by AUDADIS-ADR, CIDI and SCAN. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1997; 47(3): 195–205.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24. Hasin, D, Carpenter, KM, McCloud, S, Smith, M, Grant, BF. The alcohol use disorder and associated disabilities interview schedule (AUDADIS): reliability of alcohol and drug modules in a clinical sample. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1997; 44(2–3): 133–141.Google Scholar
25. Dong, M, Giles, WH, Felitti, VJ, etal. Insights into causal pathways for ischemic heart disease: adverse childhood experiences study. Circulation. 2004; 110(13): 1761–1766.Google Scholar
26. Midei, AJ, Matthews, KA, Bromberger, JT. Childhood abuse is associated with adiposity in midlife women: possible pathways through trait anger and reproductive hormones. Psychosom Med. 2010; 72(2): 215–223.Google Scholar
27. Dube, SR, Felitti, VJ, Dong, M, etal. Childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction and the risk of illicit drug use: the adverse childhood experiences study. Pediatrics. 2003; 111(3): 564–572.Google Scholar
28. Straus, M. Measuring intrafamily conflict and violence: the Conflict Tactics (CT) scales. Journal of Marriage and Family. 1979; 41(1): 75–88.Google Scholar
29. Bernstein, DP, Fink, L, Handelsman, L, etal. Initial reliability and validity of a new retrospective measure of child abuse and neglect. Am J Psychiatry. 1994; 151(8): 1132–1136.Google Scholar
30. Ware, JE, Kosinski, M, Turner-Bowker, DM, Gandek, B. How to Score Version 2 of the SF-12 Health Survey. Lincoln, RI: Quality Metrics; 2002.Google Scholar
31. Research Triangle Institute. Software for Survey Data Analysis (SUDAAN) Version 9.0. Research Triangle Park, NC: Research Triangle Insititute; 2004.Google Scholar
32. Agresti, A. Categorical Data Analysis, 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons; 2002.Google Scholar
33. Eaton, DK, Kann, L, Kinchen, S, etal. Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2011. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2012; 61(4): 1–162.Google Scholar
34. Potegal, M, Archer, J. Sex differences in childhood anger and aggression. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2004; 13(3): 513–528.Google Scholar
35. Chaplin, TM, Aldao, A. Gender differences in emotion expression in children: a meta-analytic review. Psychol Bull. 2003; 139(4): 735–765.Google Scholar
36. Elfenbein, HA, Ambady, N. On the universality and cultural specificity of emotion recognition: a meta-analysis. Psychol Bull. 2002; 128(2): 203–235.Google Scholar
37. Mauss, IB, Butler, EA, Roberts, NA, Chu, A. Emotion control values and responding to an anger provocation in Asian-American and European-American individuals. Cogn Emot. 2010; 24(6): 1026–1043.Google Scholar
38. Charles, ST, Reynolds, CA, Gatz, M. Age-related differences and change in positive and negative affect over 23 years. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2001; 80(1): 136–151.Google Scholar
39. Schieman, S. Age and anger. J Health Soc Behav. 1999; 40(3): 273–289.Google Scholar
40. Brassen, S, Gamer, M, Peters, J, Gluth, S, Büchel, C. Don't look back in anger! Responsiveness to missed chances in successful and nonsuccessful aging. Science. 2012; 336(6081): 612–614.Google Scholar
41. Blanchard-Fields, F, Mienaltowski, A, Seay, RB. Age differences in everyday problem-solving effectiveness: older adults select more effective strategies for interpersonal problems. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2007; 62(1): 61–64.Google Scholar
42. Ouellet-Morin, I, Danese, A, Bowes, L, etal. A discordant monozygotic twin design shows blunted cortisol reactivity among bullied children. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011; 50(6): 574–582.Google Scholar
43. Heim, C, Newport, DJ, Heit, S, etal. Pituitary-adrenal and autonomic responses to stress in women after sexual and physical abuse in childhood. JAMA. 2000; 284(5): 592–597.Google Scholar
44. Kennedy, SE, Koeppe, RA, Young, EA, Zubieta, JK. Dysregulation of endogenous opioid emotion regulation circuitry in major depression in women. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006; 63(11): 1199–1208.Google Scholar
45. Herrenkohl, TI, Klika, JB, Herrenkohl, RC, Russo, MJ, Dee, T. A prospective investigation of the relationship between child maltreatment and indicators of adult psychological well-being. Violence Vict. 2012; 27(5): 764–776.Google Scholar
46. Hasler, R, Perroud, N, Baud, P, etal. CREB1 modulates the influence of childhood sexual abuse on adult's anger traits. Genes Brain Behav. 2012; 11(6): 720–726.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
47. Sugaya, L, Hasin, DS, Olfson, M, etal. Child physical abuse and adult mental health: a national study. J Trauma Stress. 2012; 25(4): 384–392.Google Scholar
48. Pérez-Fuentes, G, Olfson, M, Villegas, L, etal. Prevalence and correlates of child sexual abuse: a national study. Compr Psychiatry. 2013; 54(1): 16–27.Google Scholar
49. Ware, NC, Hopper, K, Tugenberg, T, Dickey, B, Fisher, D. Connectedness and citizenship: redefining social integration. Psychiatr Serv. 2007; 58(4): 469–474.Google Scholar
50. Tromp, DP, Grupe, DW, Oathes, DJ, etal. Reduced structural connectivity of a major frontolimbic pathway in generalized anxiety disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012; 69(9): 925–934.Google Scholar
51. Minzenberg, MJ, Fan, J, New, AS, Tang, CY, Siever, LJ. Fronto-limbic dysfunction in response to facial emotion in borderline personality disorder: an event-related fMRI study. Psychiatry Res. 2007; 155(3): 231–243.Google Scholar
52. Matsuo, K, Glahn, DC, Peluso, MA, etal. Prefrontal hyperactivation during working memory task in untreated individuals with major depressive disorder. Mol Psychiatry. 2007; 12(2): 158–166.Google Scholar
53. Thomaes, K, Dorrepaal, E, Draijer, N, etal. Reduced anterior cingulate and orbitofrontal volumes in child abuse-related complex PTSD. J Clin Psychiatry. 2010; 71(12): 1636–1644.Google Scholar
54. Hazlett, EA, New, AS, Newmark, R, etal. Reduced anterior and posterior cingulate gray matter in borderline personality disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2005; 58(8): 614–623.Google Scholar
55. Vecchio, TD, O'Leary, KD. Effectiveness of anger treatments for specific anger problems: a meta-analytic review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2004; 24(1): 15–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
56. Farabaugh, A, Sonawalla, S, Johnson, DP, etal. Early improvements in anxiety, depression, and anger/hostility symptoms and response to antidepressant treatment. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2010; 22(3): 166–171.Google Scholar
57. Elbogen, EB, Wagner, HR, Fuller, SR, etal. Correlates of anger and hostility in Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Am J Psychiatry. 2010; 167(9): 1051–1058.Google Scholar
58. Novaco, RW. The Novaco Anger Scale and Provocation Inventory. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services; 2003.Google Scholar
59. Spielberger, CD. State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources; 1999.Google Scholar
60. Blanco, C, Grant, J, Petry, NM, etal. Prevalence and correlates of shoplifting in the United States: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Am J Psychiatry. 2008; 165(7): 905–913.Google Scholar
61. Blanco, C, Alegria, A, Petry, NM, etal. Prevalence and correlates of fire-setting in the US: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). J Clin Psychiatry. 2010; 71(9): 1218–1225.Google Scholar
62. Alegria, AA, Blanco, C, Petry, NM, etal. Sex differences in antisocial personality disorder: results from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Personal Disord. 2013; 4(3): 214–222.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
63. Okuda, M, Olfson, M, Hasin, D, etal. Mental health of victims of intimate partner violence: results from a national epidemiologic survey. Psychiatr Serv. 2011; 62(8): 959–962.Google Scholar
64. Goldstein, RB, Grant, BF. Three-year follow-up of syndromal antisocial behavior in adults: results from the Wave 2 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. J Clin Psychiatry. 2009; 70(9): 1237–1249.Google Scholar