Anger Assessment Using State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory in Middle-School Students in Korea and Association with Depression

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess anger of middle school adolescents in an urban community using State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI)-Korean and Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL), and to determine whether specific anger expression of adolescents is associated with certain psychopathology including depression. METHODS: Data were collected from 395 middle school students and their parents in Incheon city. The students completed the STAXI, Children's Depression Inventory, Korean version of Mood disorder Questionnaire, and Conners-Wells' Adolescent Self-Report Scale (Short Form), and their parents completed the K-CBCL. RESULTS: No significant correlation was observed between aggression subscale K-CBCL and each scale of the STAXI, except anger out (r=0.704). The scores for STAXI total and respective scales were significantly higher for female students than male students. A stepwise logistic regression model was used to explore the possible predictors for depression in adolescents and lower anger control and higher anger suppression were found to be predictors for depression in adolescence. CONCLUSION: There is a possibility of a large discrepancy between anger that the adolescents actually feel and parents' judgment of their children's anger. It must be considered in assessment of adolescent anger and use of further structured interviews is necessary. In addition, it may be useful to consider the anger expression style in adolescents who report depressive symptoms.