Management of Anger in a Therapeutic Community for Drug Addicts

Abstract

The major focus of this paper is on the problems, solutions and benefits we found in implementing Novaco’s (1977) systematic program for anger management in an inpatient therapeutic community for drug addicts. We became interested in implementing such a program in our community because anger and angry transactions are emotional and behavioral patterns frequently encountered among our patient population. In general, it seems that among this population conflict and frustration are handled predominately in one of two ways: either the individual is passive, experiences little or no anger and totally withdraws from conflict, or becomes provoked very easily, experiences intense anger and behaves aggressively. Novaco’s program is designed particularly for the latter response pattern while assertion training and fair fight techniques (Moffett, 1976) are interventions designed for individuals on the passive end of the anger continuum.