Positive Health Online

Abstract

LARKIN and ZAYFERT, Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown USA studied the use of anger management training with hypertensive patients. @m:METHODS: 13 essential hypertensive patients received training in anger management and 9 control patients received no treatment. Blood pressures and measures of cardiovascular and behavioural reactions to netural and confrontive intereactions were also obtained. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) were measured at rest and during role-play interactions pre- and posttraining. For the treatment group, a 6-week programme in anger management was conducted, which was comprised of relaxation training, self-statement modification and role-play assertiveness training. @r: Compared to the controls, treatment subjects showed significantly lower casual diastolic BPs at posttraining, although posttreatment casual systolic BPs were not significantly different between the groups. Compared to controls, treatment subjects exhibited significantly more assertive skill and lesser diastolic BP reactivity at posttreatment during the confrontive interaction but not during the neutral role-play interaction. @c: Anger management training appears to be therapeutically useful in the clinical management of hypertensive patients.

Background

Methodology

Results

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References

Larkin KT and Zayfert C. Anger management training with mild essential hypertensive patients. J Behav Med 19(5): 415-33. Oct 1996. @i:20