The Anger Management Project: A group intervention for anger in people with physical and multiple disabilities

Background This paper describes the evaluation of a group program designed specifically to meet the anger management needs of a group of individuals with various levels of intellectual disability and/or complex communication needs. Method Twenty-nine individuals were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waiting-list comparison group. The intervention comprised a 12-week anger management program, based on Novaco's (1975) cognitive-behavioural conceptualisation of anger, which incorporates adapted content and pictographic materials developed for clients with a range of disabilities. Results On completion of the program, clients from the intervention group had made significant improvements in their self-reported anger levels, compared with clients from the comparison group, and relative to their own pre-intervention scores. Treatment effects were maintained at 4-month follow-up. In contrast, there was an absence of measured improvements in quality of life. Conclusions The results provide evidence for the program's effectiveness as an intervention for anger problems for individuals with a range of disabilities.