What Cognitions Predict State Anger?

This study evaluated the relationship between specific cognitions and state anger. Clinical outpatients (23%), workplace recruits (37%), and college students (40%) (N 236, mean age 31.68) completed a questionnaire, the Anger Episode Record (AER), which asked them to describe an experience that elicited feelings of irritation, annoyance, anger, fury, or rage. They rated the intensity of their anger, cognitions, physiological responses, behaviors, and consequences for the specific episode. A stepwise multiple regression suggests that cognitions for revenge accounted for the greatest variance in predicting state anger, R .26, p .00, followed by demands on event, R .32, p .00, self-efficacy, R .37, p .00, and demands of others, R .39, p .04, respectively. The role of these cognitions in psychotherapy and interventions for angry clients is discussed.