ANGER COPING PROGRAM

Guide to Effective Programs
for Children and Youth

ANGER COPING PROGRAM

OVERVIEW

The Anger Coping Program is a school-based program designed to decrease conduct problems, delinquency, and substance abuse in school-age boys. Experimental analyses indicate that participants displayed lower levels of disruptive behavior and were less aggressive than control group members.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: 10-year-old boys The Anger Coping Program (Lochman, 1985, 1992; Lochman, Burch, Curry, & Lampron, 1984) is a school-based program designed to increase adolescent perspective taking, social problem-solving and conflict management skills, and decrease conduct problems, delinquency, and substance abuse in boys.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Evaluated population: 52 10-year-old boys

The 52 participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (a) anger coping, (b) goal setting, (c) combined group, and (d) control group. Boys in the treatment conditions displayed lower rates of disruptive behavior in classroom observations compared to the control group boys. Compared to the controls, parents rated boys in the treatment conditions as less aggressive during conflicts. These effects were greatest for the combined treatment group than for either treatment alone.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Link to program curriculum: http://www.amazon.com/Helping-Schoolchildren-Cope-Anger-Cognitive-Behavioral/dp/1593851618

References:

Lochman, J. E. (1985). Effects of different treatment lengths in cognitive behavioral interventions with aggressive boys. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 16(1), 45-56.

Lochman, J. E. (1992). Cognitive-behavioral intervention with aggressive boys: Three-year follow-up and preventive effects. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 60(3), 426-432.

Lochman, J. E., Burch, P. R., Curry, J. F., & Lampron, L. B. (1984). Treatment and generalization effects of cognitive-behavioral and goal-setting interventions with aggressive boys. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 52(5), 915-916.

Program also discussed in the following Child Trends publication(s):

Hair, E. C., Jager, J., & Garrett, S. B. (2002). Helping teens develop healthy social skills and relationships: What the research shows about navigating adolescence (Research brief). Washington , DC : Child Trends.

Hair, E. C., Jager, J., & Garrett, S. B. (2001). Background for community-level work on social competency in adolescence: Reviewing the literature on contributing factors. Washington, DC: Child Trends.

SUMMARY & CATEGORIZATION

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 10 / Program age ranges in the Guide: 6-11

Program components: School-based

Measured outcomes: Social/emotional

Program information last updated 3/15/07