Relationship of personality and parental and peer attachments with the experience and expression of anger among juvenile offenders

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships of parental and peer attachment and personality (MMPI-A scales 4, 6, 8, and 9) with the experience and expression of anger in a male juvenile offender population. Participants consisted of 94 male juvenile offenders currently incarcerated at a juvenile correctional facility. Researchers had access to archival MMPI-As and administered a demographic sheet, the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory - Second Version and the Inventory for Parent and Peer Attachment.

Findings and Conclusions: Mother attachment was significantly related to state anger and anger-out. Father attachment was significantly related to state anger. Peer attachment was significantly related to state anger and anger control-out. Personality was related to the experience and expression of anger, including trait anger, anger aggression, and anger suppression. Future research could be conducted to explore the influence of others variables in understanding anger (i.e. gender, types of crime, violent offenses, security levels, parental perceptions), specific attachment styles with anger, and different types of personality as they relate to anger. Implications for practice include helping juvenile offenders to build upon and strengthen relationships with parents and peers. Juvenile offenders could benefit from increased amount of group therapy and family therapy incorporating social skills training, modeling positive behavior and relationships, psychoeducation regarding healthy relationships, and more focus on personality traits in order to decrease the negative experience and expression of anger.