Forensic clients' everday experiences of anger : implications for a social constructivist theory of 'disordered' anger

The 'everyday experiences' of anger of three groups of men were compared. The groups were comprised of a sample of: 1) male outpatients of a forensic psychology service whose anger was seen as being 'disordered', 2) male outpatients of a forensic psychology service whose anger was not seen as being 'disordered' and 3) a group of men who were not clients of a forensic service. The tendency of the three groups to break the rules of anger (as outlined by Averill's social constructivist theory of disordered anger) was compared. This was done using a semi-structured questionnaire based on one devised by Averill for use in an study of 'everyday anger experiences' and the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (Spielberger et al, 1985). The results indicated that the forensic-angry group, in comparison to the other two groups, was angry more frequently, that their anger was more intense, that they became more physically aroused and that they were more likely to become physically aggressive and/or take their anger out on a third party. Also, the forensic-angry group made less attempt to control their anger. The findings are discussed in relation to a social constructivist theory of 'disordered' anger.