Gender differences in anger, anger expression, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms of Korean elementary school children

Young Joo Park, Eun Sook Park, Sung Ok Chang, So Sun Kim, Hyuncheol Kang, So Hyun Moon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Aim: This descriptive correlational study was designed to describe the levels of anger and the types of anger expression of late school-age Korean children, and to examine the association between anger and identified anger expression types, and depression and psychosomatic symptoms in both genders. Methods: In this study, 1027 Korean boys and girls, ranging in age from 9 to 13 years, completed the Spielberger's state-trait anger expression inventory - Korean version that measures anger and anger expression, the personality factor scale for psychosomatic symptoms, and Birleson's self-rating scale for depressive mood during childhood. Results: Anger expression types were categorised as 'anger-out with high anger expression type', 'low anger expression type', 'anger-control/ in with high anger expression type', and 'anger-control type' in boys, and 'low anger expression type', 'anger in/out type', and 'anger-control type' in girls. The means of overall anger expression and anger-in were significantly higher for girls. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that school-age children having high levels of state anger and trait anger show higher levels of depression and more psychosomatic symptoms. Knowledge about anger expression types in late school-age Korean children can add to the growing body of knowledge about anger management during the early stages in life.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)12-19
Number of pages8
JournalAsian Journal of Nursing
Volume10
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 2007 Mar

Keywords

  • Anger
  • Depression
  • Korea
  • Psychophysiologic disorders
  • Sex distribution

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Research and Theory
  • Fundamentals and skills
  • LPN and LVN
  • Review and Exam Preparation

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