What Cognitions Best Predict Disturbed Anger in Adults? A Revision of the Anger Cognitions Scale

Background This study aims to provide insight into the specific cognitive constructs that are most strongly correlated with disturbed anger and could guide the development of more effective cognitive-behavioral treatments. The Anger Cognitions Scale-Revised (ACS-R) presents participants with nine scenarios of anger-provoking events and asks them to indicate the degree to which the situations would trigger the experience of seven different cognitive processes: hostile attributions, negative consequences of anger, inflammatory labeling, demandingness, frustration intolerance, awfulizing, and overgeneralization. The current study tested the factor structure and the construct validity of the ACS-R in a diverse sample to examine which cognitive constructs best predict dysfunctional anger and, consequently should be targeted when treating angry clients. Method 1024 participants with an average age of 20.4 years (SD = 6.15) completed the ACS-R and measures of dysfunctional anger and anger outcomes via online administration. Results Confirmatory factor analyses found that ACS-R scores best fit a bifactor model, with 7-factors representing the seven cognitive constructs with a separate set of 9-factors in which items loaded on their respective scenarios. Multiple regression analyses revealed that negative consequences of anger, hostile attributions, and inflammatory labeling contributed more significant variance in models predicting dysfunctional anger. Discussion Although additional research should replicate these results, our findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral treatment for dysfunctional anger might improve their outcomes if they targeted negative cognitions most strongly associated with dysfunctional anger. In addition, the inclusion of situational factors in our best-fitting CFA models suggests that assessing the circumstances in which one experiences distressing and unhelpful anger is essential in clinical practice.