ANGER CONTROL PROBLEMS

CLIENT PRESENTATION

1. Episodic Excessive Anger (1)a A. The client described a history of loss of temper in response to specific situations. B. The client described a history of loss of temper that dates back many years, including verbal outbursts and property destruction, typically related to specific emotional themes. C. As treatment has progressed, the client has reported increased control of his/her situational episodic excessive anger. D. The client has had no recent incidents of episodic excessive anger. 2. General Excessive Anger (2) A. The client shows a pattern of general, excessive anger across many situations. B. The client does not appear to be experiencing anger in response to specific issues, but as a general pattern. C. As treatment has progressed, the client has verbalized insight into his/her pattern of excessive anger. D. The client has made progress in controlling his/her pattern of excessive anger. 3. Cognitive Biases Toward Anger (3) A. The client shows a pattern of cognitive biases commonly associated with anger. B. The client makes demanding expectations of others. C. The client tends to generalize labeling the targets of his/her anger. D. The client tends to have anger in reaction to perceived slights. E. As treatment has progressed, the subject displays decreased patterns of cognitive biases associated with anger. 4. Evidence of Physiological Arousal (4) A. The client displayed direct evidence of physiological arousal in relation to his/her feelings of anger. B. The client displays indirect evidence of physiological arousal related to his/her feelings of anger. C. As treatment has progressed, the subject's level of physiological arousal has decreased as anger has become more managed. 5. Explosive, Destructive Outbursts (5) A. The client described a history of loss of temper in which he/she has destroyed property during fits of rage. B. The client described a history of loss of temper that dates back to childhood, involving verbal outbursts as well as property destruction. C. As therapy has progressed, the client has reported increased control over his/her temper and a significant reduction in incidents of poor anger management. D. The client has had no recent incidents of explosive outbursts that have resulted in destruction of property or intimidating verbal assaults. 6. Explosive, Assaultive Outbursts (5) A. The client described a history of loss of anger control to the point of physical assault on others who were the target of his/her anger. B. The client has been arrested for assaultive attacks on others when he/she has lost control of his/her temper. C. The client has used assaultive acts as well as threats and intimidation to control others. D. The client has made a commitment to control his/her temper and terminate all assaultive behavior. E. There have been no recent incidents of assaultive attacks on anyone, in spite of the client having experienced periods of anger. 7. Overreactive Irritability (6) A. The client described a history of reacting too angrily to rather insignificant irritants in his/her daily life. B. The client indicated that he/she recognizes that he/she becomes too angry in the face of rather minor frustrations and irritants. C. Minor irritants have resulted in explosive, angry outbursts that have led to destruction of property and/or striking out physically at others. D. The client has made significant progress at increasing frustration tolerance and reducing explosive overreactivity to minor irritants. 8. Physical/Emotional Abuse (7) A. The client reported physical encounters that have injured others or have threatened serious injury to others. B. The client showed little or no remorse for causing pain to others. C. The client projected blame for his/her aggressive encounters onto others. D. The client has a violent history and continues to interact with others in a very intimidating, aggressive style. E. The client has shown progress in controlling his/her aggressive patterns and seems to be trying to interact with more assertiveness rather than aggression. 9. Harsh Judgment Statements (8) A. The client exhibited frequent incidents of being harshly critical of others. B. The client's family members reported that he/she reacts very quickly with angry, critical, and demeaning language toward them. C. The client reported that he/she has been more successful at controlling critical and intimidating statements made to or about others. D. The client reported that there have been no recent incidents of harsh, critical, and intimidating statements made to or about others. 10. Angry/Tense Body Language (9) A. The client presented with verbalizations of anger as well as tense, rigid muscles and glaring facial expressions. B. The client expressed his/her anger with bodily signs of muscle tension, clenched fists, and refusal to make eye contact. C. The client appeared more relaxed, less angry, and did not exhibit physical signs of aggression. D. The client's family reported that he/she has been more relaxed within the home setting and has not shown glaring looks or pounded his/her fist on the table. 11. Passive-Aggressive Behavior (10) A. The client described a history of passive-aggressive behavior in which he/she would not comply with directions, would complain about authority figures behind their backs, and would not meet expected behavioral norms. B. The client's family confirmed a pattern of the client's passive-aggressive behavior in which he/she would make promises of doing something, but not follow through. C. The client acknowledged that he/she tends to express anger indirectly through social withdrawal or uncooperative behavior, rather than using assertiveness to express feelings directly. D. The client has reported an increase in assertively expressing thoughts and feelings and terminating passive-aggressive behavior patterns. 12. Time Bomb (11) A. The client tends to passively withhold feelings, and then explodes in a rage. B. The client seems to be “adding up” slights and irritations, waiting until enough have been “banked” and then explodes into a rage. C. The client appears to have rageful feelings under the surface, but presents in a passive manner. D. As treatment has progressed, the client has improved in regard to being able to express his/her feelings appropriately, and has decreased the reactive rage episodes. 13. Overreaction to Perceived Negative Circumstances (12) A. The client seems to overreact to perceived disapproval, rejection, or criticism. B. The client can become angry even when no disapproval, rejection, or criticism exists. C. The client tends to have a bias toward his/her experience of disapproval, rejection, or criticism. D. As treatment has progressed, the client has decreased his/her pattern of overreaction to disapproval, rejection, or criticism. E. The client has decreased his/her angry overreaction to perceived disapproval, rejection, or criticism. 14. Verbal Abuse (13) A. The client acknowledged that he/she frequently engages in verbal abuse of others as a means of expressing anger or frustration with them. B. Significant others in the client's family have indicated that they have been hurt by his/her frequent verbal abuse toward them. C. The client has shown little empathy toward others for the pain that he/she has caused because of his/her verbal abuse of them. D. The client has become more aware of his/her pattern of verbal abuse of others and is becoming more sensitive to the negative impact of this behavior on them. E. There have been no recent incidents of verbal abuse of others by the client. 15. Rationalization and Blaming (14) A. The client has a history of projecting blame for his/her angry outbursts or aggressive behaviors onto other people or outside circumstances. B. The client did not accept responsibility for his/her recent angry outbursts or aggressive behaviors. C. The client has begun to accept greater responsibility for his/her anger control problems and blame others less often for his/her angry outbursts or aggressive behaviors. D. The client verbalized an acceptance of responsibility for the poor control of his/her anger or aggressive impulses. E. The client expressed guilt about his/her anger control problems and apologized to significant others for his/her loss of control of anger. 16. Aggression to Achieve Power and Control...