Effects of an Extracurricular Anger Self-Control Program for Nursing Students

Abstract

Nursing students often experience anger in response to stress and suppress their anger instead of actively controlling it. Therefore, the anger self-control programs that can manage nursing students' anger level and dysfunctional anger expression are needed. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of an anger self-control program on trait anger, anger expression style, grateful disposition, and depression among nursing students. The study used a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group and a non-synchronized design. Participants were 29 nursing students who were assigned to intervention and control groups. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed significantly decreased mean scores for the trait anger, anger-in, and anger-out anger expression styles, and increased mean scores for the anger-control anger expression style and grateful disposition. Anger self-control programs might be usefully applied as extracurricular anger-management programs for nursing students.