Abstract
This study examined feelings of anger among female victims of crime and the relation of anger to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One hundred and sixteen women who had been victims of sexual or nonsexual criminal assaults were compared to a matched comparison group of 50 nonvictimized women on measures of anger and anger expression. Results indicate that victims were angrier than nonvictims. The level of anger was related to various aspects of the assault, such as the use of a weapon and the victim's response to the attack. In addition, the results indicate that elevated anger is positively related to the development of PTSD. Results are discussed in relation to a cognitive/behavioral conceptualization of PTSD.
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Riggs, D.S., Dancu, C.V., Gershuny, B.S. et al. Anger and post-traumatic stress disorder in female crime victims. J Trauma Stress 5, 613–625 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00979229
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00979229