Angry? Let's talk about it!

Cognitive/perceptual, physiological, and behavioral correlates of anger discussion were examined in a sample of 461 health fair participants at a southeastern university. Subjects who usually discussed their anger differed significantly from those who did not in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, aerobic exercise, perceived importance of health, and perceived health status. Zn gender-specific correlational analyses, discussion of anger was inversely related to women's global assessment of stress and to their levels of perceived stress at home and at work. This study suggests that talking about anger may be a health-promoting alternative to suppressing it or venting it outwardly after a provocation. Gender differences and implications for practice are discussed. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.