Anger, problem behaviors, and health status in adolescent women

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study was designed to identify anger-expression types of adolescent women and investigate the relation between the identified anger-expression types and their problem behaviors and health status. METHOD: One hundred ninety nine high school freshmen were recruited from September to November, 2003. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, chi(2)-test, ANOVA, and Duncan's multiple comparison test. RESULT: Three anger-expression types in adolescent women were found; Anger-out/in, Anger-control/in, and Anger- control type. Adolescent women with frequently using the anger-out/in type and with higher state anger reported more delinquent behaviors, more health risk behaviors, and higher psychosomatic symptoms. However, adolescent women with lower state anger and frequently using the anger-control type reported more depression scores. CONCLUSION: There is a need to further clarify the relationship between anger-expression types and depression in adolescent women. The findings suggest the necessity of a development of the program for lowering the anger level and controlling the unfavorable anger expression types such as the anger-out in.