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Toward an Integrative Psychotherapy for Maladaptive Anger

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International Handbook of Anger

Abstract

This chapter adopts the psychoevolutionary position that anger, like any emotion, is part of a repertoire for handling various adaptational demands. However, it is explained that anger can become maladaptive in terms of the current conceptualization of what constitutes a psychological disorder. In such instances, the treatment options range from philosophico-religious approaches to standalone techniques. Shadowing recent trends in psychotherapy, a case is made for the integration of techniques to regulate anger. As shown, these are sequentially ordered according to phases for prevention, intervention, and postvention of anger. This parallels the course of anger from its onset, through its progression, to its resolution. As illustrated, the prevention phase is primarily behavioral, the intervention phase centers around cognitive strategies, and the postvention phase invokes affective therapies. The resulting cognitive–behavioral affective therapy (CBAT) is programmatic in the additional sense that there is a built-in contingency with which techniques are used. CBAT is more expansive in scope than CBT and in step with the current renaissance of affect as a topic of study within psychology and other disciplines. Preliminary empirical data are reported on the outcome of this program. The large effect sizes obtained are supportive of the absolute and relative efficacy of CBAT in regulating anger. Further research is encouraged for the implementation and evaluation of this integrative program in diverse populations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Ephrem Fernandez

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  1. Ephrem Fernandez
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Correspondence to Ephrem Fernandez .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Pediatrics, Div. Pediatric Clinical Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Delaware St. SE., 420, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Michael Potegal

  2. FB Psychologie, Universität Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, Marburg, 35032, Germany

    Gerhard Stemmler

  3. University of South Florida, 7th Ave. South 140, St. Petersburg, 33701, Florida, USA

    Charles Spielberger

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Fernandez, E. (2010). Toward an Integrative Psychotherapy for Maladaptive Anger. In: Potegal, M., Stemmler, G., Spielberger, C. (eds) International Handbook of Anger. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-89676-2_28

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