Repository logo
 

Client factors predicting outcome in group treatment for driving anger

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorSmith, Heather, author
dc.contributor.authorDeffenbacher, Jerry, advisor
dc.contributor.authorRickard, Kathryn, advisor
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-13T20:27:58Z
dc.date.available2024-03-13T20:27:58Z
dc.date.issued2008
dc.description.abstractCollege students who scored in the top 25% on a measure of driving anger participated in an eight-week group therapy program designed to reduce their anger while driving. They were assigned randomly to either Cognitive, Behavioral, or Relaxation Coping Skills Therapy. Results confirmed driving anger was effectively lowered in therapy. Also, while high anger levels have sometimes been shown to interfere with treatment for other kinds of problems (Garfield, 1994; Lambert, Hunt, & Vermeersch, 2004), they did not have the same effect on treatments targeting anger specifically. Higher pretreatment driving anger was associated with a greater decrease in driving anger, angry cognitions while driving, aggressive driving anger expression, general trait anger, and to a lesser extent maladaptive general anger expression, and with an increase in positive coping strategies. Higher pretreatment trait anger was associated with a decrease in all of the above except for measures of driving anger. Measures of general anger expression did not predict therapy outcome as well as driving and general anger, but when associations were found, they were in the same direction. Few main effects were observed for gender or treatment type, and those that were found were not consistent. Several interactions were observed between treatment, gender, and/or pretreatment anger level. The majority of interactions were between pretreatment anger and treatment, such that participants responded better to one treatment condition versus another based on whether they reported relatively higher or lower anger levels at pretreatment. These effects sometimes varied by gender. However, given the number of analyses, relatively few significant findings, and directional inconsistencies of these findings, no suggestions for treatment matching were made. In conclusion, pretreatment driving and general trait anger did not interfere with treatment, but were associated with positive gains in therapy, and there was little consistent evidence that would support matching of client characteristics (e.g., gender, driving or general anger level or type, anger expression style) with treatment conditions, at least for short-term, driving anger focused, cognitive-behavioral interventions.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierETDF_Smith_2008_3321314.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/237959
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.rights.licensePer the terms of a contractual agreement, all use of this item is limited to the non-commercial use of Colorado State University and its authorized users.
dc.subjectanger treatment
dc.subjectclient factors
dc.subjectdriving anger
dc.subjectgroup treatment
dc.subjectsymptom severity
dc.subjecttherapy outcome
dc.subjecttreatment matching
dc.subjectclinical psychology
dc.titleClient factors predicting outcome in group treatment for driving anger
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplinePsychology
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
ETDF_Smith_2008_3321314.pdf
Size:
3.36 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

2000-2019
Theses and Dissertations