The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Anger Management (Adult), but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given a Scientific Rating.

• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• Target Population: Adults with anger regulation problems. The program has also been used with adolescents.

Given the developing knowledge in the anger treatment area, the wide variability of client characteristics and the varied settings in which anger treatment is delivered the Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners program is organized according to a flexible menu-based approach. The treatment program has four stages: engagement and preparation, use of specific change strategies, learning to accept difficult life situations, and maintaining change and enhancing happiness.

The goals of the Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners program are to:

• Reduce reactivity to typical anger triggers experienced by clients.
• Reduce negative expressions of anger including aggression and verbally abusive comments.
• Foster increases in constructive problem solving and assertive communications.
• Achieve decreases in intensity (physical activation), frequency, and duration of anger episodes.

For each stage of the Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners treatment process, several interventions are described in detail from which practitioners may choose:

Engagement and preparation

• Client-centered initial approach
• Feedback on standardized tests
• Anger episode interview

Specific change strategies

• Avoid and escape from aversive triggers
• Reduce physical arousal and activation
• Increase constructive social problem solving
• Reduce reactivity through exposure to typical triggers
• Develop assertive responding

Accepting, adapting, adjusting

• Learn to see the world realistically
• Develop a flexible philosophy
• Forgiveness interventions

Maintaining change and increasing happiness

• Relapse prevention
• Enhance overall happiness

In addition, these components are also essential to the program:

• Idiographic assessment using the Anger Episode Model (triggers, cognitive appraisals, internal anger experiences, external anger expressions, outcomes)
• Developing new skills (relaxation, cognitive restructuring, behavioral responding)
• New skills are practiced and reinforced through the use of exposure procedures
• For easy reference by the client, a client version of the same program exists titled: Anger Management for Everyone: Seven Proven Ways to Control Anger and Live a Happier Life

Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners was not designed with a child component.

Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners was not designed with a parent/caregiver component.

Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners was designed with an adult component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

• Difficulties with anger regulation and expression

Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

10-12

Recommended Intensity:

50 to 60-minute weekly sessions

Recommended Duration:

Depends on the client's symptoms. A minimum of 3 months.

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community Agency
• Outpatient Clinic
• Residential Care Facility
• School

Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners includes a homework component:

Self –monitoring of anger episodes, avoid and escape worksheet, progressive muscle relaxation practice, problem solving worksheet, assertiveness worksheet, imaginal and verbal barb exposure practice, change the way you think worksheets, self-assessment of progress, and between session reading of chapters (client version).

Anger Management the Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practitioners has materials available in languages other than English:

Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish

For information on which materials are available in these languages, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

Space that provides for confidentiality and that is free of distractions.

An Master’s level degree in one of the behavioral fields is preferred though Bachelor’s level professionals who work in criminal justice environments may be eligible as well.

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program, and there is training available for this program.

Training Contacts:

• Raymond Chip Tafrate, PhD
  Central Connecticut State University
  Tafrater@ccsu.edu
• Howard Kassinove, PhD, ABPP
  Hofstra University
  Howard.Kassinove@Hofstra.edu

Training is obtained:

Usually onsite or at a training location

Number of days/hours:

Two full days of training are recommended to cover the full range of interventions

This program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of 1 – 5. Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated." It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR - Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified