Emotional Intelligence and Anger Management

Emotional Intellegence And Anger Mamagement

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Emotional Intelligence and Anger Management

Definition of intelligence

Definition of emotional intelligence

Definition of management

Definition of anger

Definition of anger management

History

Emotional intelligence (EI)

The Four Branches of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence attributes:

Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) individuals

Ways to plan ahead for reduced chance of anger management

Child psychologists

Potential causes of development of anger problems

What is Emotional Intelligence?

How is EQ Different from Personality?

EQ Competencies that Correlate to Workplace Success

Social Competencies that Determine How We Handle Relationships

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Personal Competencies that Determine How We Manage Ourselves

Emotional Intelligence's Impact on the Bottom Line

REFERENCES of 10 International journals.

References

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Definition of intelligence

The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills

Definition of emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to monitor one's own and other people's

emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use

emotional information to guide thinking and behavior.

Definition of management

The process of dealing with or controlling things or people.

Definition of anger

A strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.

Anger is a powerful emotion that people feel from time to time when someone or

something frustrates or annoys them. One of the roots of anger is the Greek word ankhone for "a

strangling," which is a perfect description of the way anger actually feels. Indeed, anger can

make you feel like strangling someone. Don’t do it! If you’re feeling a lot of anger, it’s good to

take a nice, deep breath.

Definition of anger management

Anger management is the process of learning to recognize signs that you're becoming

angry, and taking action to calm down and deal with the situation in a positive way. Anger

management doesn't try to keep you from feeling anger or encourage you to hold it in. Anger is a

normal, healthy emotion when you know how to express it appropriately — anger management

is about learning how to do this.

History

The negative effects of anger have been observed throughout history. Advice for

countering seemingly uncontrollable rage has been offered by ancient philosophers, pious men,

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and modern psychologists. Seneca the Younger (4 BC- 65 AD) advised for pre-emptively

guarding against confrontational situations, perspective taking, and not inciting anger in anger-

prone individuals. Other philosophers echoed Seneca with Galen recommending seeking out a

mentor for aid in anger reduction. In the middle Ages, saints would serve as both examples of

self-control and mediators of anger-induced disputes. Examples of intercession for the common

people from the wrath of local rulers abound in hagiographies.

In modern times, the concept of controlling anger has translated into anger management

programs based on the research of psychologists. Classical psychotherapy based anger

management interventions originated in the 1970s. Success in treating anxiety with Cognitive

behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions developed by Meichebaum inspired Novaco to modify

the stress inoculation training to be suitable for anger management. Stress and anger are

sufficiently similar that such a modification was able to create a successful branch of treatment.

Both stress and anger are caused by external stimuli, mediated by internal processing, and

expressed in either adaptive or maladaptive forms. Meichebaum, and later Novaco, used each

aspect of experiencing the relevant emotion as an opportunity for improvement to the patient’s

overall wellbeing.

Emotional intelligence (EI)

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to monitor one's own and other people's emotions, to

discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional

information to guide thinking and behavior.

There are three models of EI. The ability model, developed by Peter Salovey and John

Mayer, focuses on the individual's ability to process emotional information and use it to navigate

the social environment. The trait model as developed by Konstantin Vasily Petrides,

"encompasses behavioral dispositions and self-perceived abilities and is measured through self-

report". The final model, the mixed model is a combination of both ability and trait EI. It defines

EI as an array of skills and characteristics that drive leadership performance, as proposed by

Daniel Goleman.

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Studies have shown that people with high EI have greater mental health, exemplary job

performance, and more potent leadership skills. Markers of EI and methods of developing it have

become more widely coveted in the past few decades. In addition, studies have begun to provide

evidence to help characterize the neural mechanisms of emotional intelligence.

Criticisms have centered on whether EI is a real intelligence and whether it has

incremental validity over IQ and the Big Five personality traits.

The Four Branches of Emotional Intelligence

Perceiving Emotions:

The first step in understanding emotions is to accurately perceive them. In many cases,

this might involve understanding nonverbal signals such as body language and facial

expressions.

Reasoning with Emotions: The next step involves using emotions to promote thinking and cognitive activity. Emotions help

prioritize what we pay attention and react to; we respond emotionally to things that garner our

attention.

Understanding Emotions:

The emotions that we perceive can carry a wide variety of meanings. If someone is

expressing angry emotions, the observer must interpret the cause of their anger and what it might

mean. For example, if your boss is acting angry, it might mean that he is dissatisfied with your

work; or it could be because he got a speeding ticket on his way to work that morning or that he's

been fighting with his wife.

Managing Emotions:

The ability to manage emotions effectively is a key part of emotional intelligence.

Regulating emotions, responding appropriately and responding to the emotions of others are all

important aspect of emotional management.

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Emotional intelligence consists of four attributes:

Self-awareness

You recognize your own emotions and how they affect your thoughts and behavior,

know your strengths and weaknesses, and have self-confidence.

Self-management

You’re able to control impulsive feelings and behaviors, manage your emotions in

healthy ways, take initiative, follow through on commitments, and adapt to changing

circumstances.

Social awareness

You can understand the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people, pick up on

emotional cues, feel comfortable socially, and recognize the power dynamics in a group or

organization.

Relationship management

You know how to develop and maintain good relationships, communicate clearly, inspire

and influence others, work well in a team, and manage conflict.

Ability model

Salvoes and Mayer's conception of EI strives to define EI within the confines of the

standard criteria for a new intelligence. Following their continuing research, their initial

definition of EI was revised to "The ability to perceive emotion, integrate emotion to facilitate

thought, understand emotions and to regulate emotions to promote personal growth." However,

after pursuing further research, their definition of EI evolved into "the capacity to reason about

emotions, and of emotions, to enhance thinking. It includes the abilities to accurately perceive

emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and

emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and

intellectual growth."

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The ability-based model views emotions as useful sources of information that help one to

make sense of and navigate the social environment. The model proposes that individuals vary in

their ability to process information of an emotional nature and in their ability to relate emotional

processing to a wider cognition. This ability is seen to manifest itself in certain adaptive

behaviors. The model claims that EI includes four types of abilities:

1. Perceiving emotions

The ability to detect and decipher emotions in faces, pictures, voices, and cultural

artifacts including the ability to identify one's own emotions. Perceiving emotions

represents a basic aspect of emotional intelligence, as it makes all other processing of

emotional information possible.

2. Using emotions

The ability to harness emotions to facilitate various cognitive activities, such as

thinking and problem solving. The emotionally intelligent person can capitalize fully

upon his or her changing moods in order to best fit the task at hand.

3. Understanding emotions

The ability to comprehend emotion language and to appreciate complicated

relationships among emotions. For example, understanding emotions encompasses the

ability to be sensitive to slight variations between emotions, and the ability to recognize

and describe how emotions evolve over time.

4. Managing emotions

The ability to regulate emotions in both ourselves and in others. Therefore, the

emotionally intelligent person can harness emotions, even negative ones, and manage

them to achieve intended goals.

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The ability EI model has been criticized in the research for lacking face and predictive validity in

the work

Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist, developed a framework of five elements that

define emotional intelligence:

1. Self-Awareness People with high EI are usually very self-aware. They understand their emotions, and

because of this, they don't let their feelings rule them. They're confident – because they trust

their intuition and don't let their emotions get out of control.

They're also willing to take an honest look at themselves. They know their strengths and

weaknesses, and they work on these areas so they can perform better. Many people believe

that this self-awareness is the most important part of EI.

2. Self-Regulation  This is the ability to control emotions   and impulses. People who self-regulate

typically don't allow themselves to become too angry or jealous, and they don't make

impulsive, careless decisions. They think before they act. Characteristics of self-regulation

are thoughtfulness, comfort with change, integrity , and the ability to say no.

3. Motivation 

People with a high degree of EI are usually motivated . They're willing to defer

immediate results for long-term success. They're highly productive, love a challenge, and are

very effective in whatever they do.

4. Empathy This is perhaps the second-most important element of EI.Empathy   is the ability to

identify with and understand the wants, needs, and viewpoints of those around you. People

with empathy are good at recognizing the feelings of others, even when those feelings may

not be obvious. As a result, empathetic people are usually excellent at managing

relationships , listening , and relating to others. They avoid stereotyping and judging too

quickly, and they live their lives in a very open, honest way.

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5. Social Skills It's usually easy to talk to and like people with good social skills, another sign of high

EI. Those with strong social skills are typically team players. Rather than focus on their own

success first, they help others develop and shine. They can manage disputes, are excellent

communicators, and are masters at building and maintaining relationships.

As you've probably determined, EI can be a key to success in your life – especially in

your career. The ability to manage people and relationships is very important in all leaders, so

developing and using your EI can be a good way to show others the leader inside of you.

Goleman includes a set of emotional competencies within each construct of EI. Emotional

competencies are not innate talents, but rather learned capabilities that must be worked on and

can be developed to achieve outstanding performance. Goleman posits that individuals are born

with a general emotional intelligence that determines their potential for learning emotional

competencies. Goleman's model of EI has been criticized in the research literature as mere "pop

psychology" (Mayer, Roberts, & Barsade, 2008).

Anger management

Anger Management is training for temper control and is the skill of remaining calm. It

has been described as deploying anger successfully. Anger management programs consider anger

to be a motivation caused by an identifiable reason which can be logically analyzed and if

suitable worked toward. Some popular anger management techniques include relaxation

techniques, cognitive restructuring, problem solving and improving communication strategies.

Goal is to lead an anger-free life. Anger is an emotion the person feeling it can respond

to. People get into trouble because they don't know enough to keep their cool. [They can learn to

respond to their anger as unwanted rather than react to its cause. Forgiveness is a tool to turn

anger off. Getting enough sleep is a tool for preventing anger. Professionals who deal with those

who have trouble managing anger include mental health counselors, psychologists and

psychiatrists.

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Associated people

Seneca

One of the first people to study anger and the control of anger was the Roman

philosopher Seneca. He studied anger during his lifetime, c. 4 BC- AD 65, and from his

experiences and observations he formulated ways to control anger. This could be considered an

early form of anger management. Seneca noted the importance of how to avoid becoming angry,

how to quit being angry, and how to deal with anger in other people.

Another theorist who came after Seneca was Galen, a Roman era philosopher, who built on the

work of Seneca to formulate new ideas in the area of anger management. Galen stresses the

importance of a mentor to help deal with excess anger.

Peter Stearns

Peter Stearns played an important part in researching the differences in anger between genders.

Stearns concluded that there are similarities between male and females experience of anger. June

Crawford came up with an opposing idea about how the two genders deal with anger. Her

research concluded that men and women deal with anger by different means.

Raymond Novaco

Works from Raymond Novaco in the 1970s have contributed too many of the recent ideas

on the management of anger. These ideas have led to the implementation of different anger

management programs. An important idea from Novaco is the importance of looking at the

situations that led up to the anger in order to have control over the anger. He stated that anger is

an emotional response to situations. Novaco stated that anger occurs in three modalities, either

cognitive, somatic affective or behavioral. After discovering the anger there should be discussion

and self-examination in order to relieve the anger. This process was thought to help the client

identify the situations that lead to anger and deal with the anger depending on the step that the

anger is occurring in. The client is able to use different relaxation skills to reduce their anger

before it advances.[13]

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Targeted populations

Empirically supported programs exist for a variety of people seeking anger management.

Adults

Anger management interventions are based in cognitive behavioral techniques and follow

in a three step process. First, the client learns to identify situations that can potentially trigger the

feeling of anger. A situation that elicits anger is often referred to as an anger cue. If a potential

trigger can be avoided, the individual can not only avoid unwanted outbursts, but also avoid

internal conflict. Often anger occurs through automatic thought and irrational beliefs. This poses

a problem for treatment because the patient may respond too quickly to change the thought or

behavior. Wright, Day, & Howells referred to this phenomenon as the "hijacking of the cognitive

system by the emotional system". Second, relaxation techniques are taught as appropriate

responses to the identified situations. Common techniques include regulating breathing and

physically removing yourself from the situation. Finally, role-play is used to practice the

application of the learned techniques for future encounters with anger-inducing situations in the

individual’s life. The end result of repetition is an automatic response of learned beneficial

techniques. Modifications of each general step result in distinctive programs. Additionally,

different fields of psychology will change aspects of the above three step process, which is

primarily based in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Group, family, and relaxation only therapies

each contribute to the wider range of available anger management programs. Successful

interventions can result in not only a reduction of the outward display of aggression, but also a

decrease in the internal level of anger.

Relaxation therapy

Relaxation therapy can reduce cognitions and motivations to act out, and through relaxation,

clients gain coping skills to better manage their anger. This therapy addresses various aspects of

anger such as physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and social. These aspects combined are what

make relaxation an effective treatment for anger.[15] The Mindfulness therapy technique attempts

to teach clients acceptance of bodily sensations and emotions. Mindfulness originated in Eastern

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spiritual traditions that are practiced through meditation. A two-prong component of Mindfulness

includes: self-regulation and orientation toward the present moment. The center of this therapy

technique is experiencing the present moment in a non-judgmental manner that is reflective of

meditation. In practice, clients observe breathing, sitting and walking during meditations. The

goal is for clients to understand that his or her thoughts of anger are merely thoughts rather than

reality. Mindfulness is also a technique used in the relaxation approach, because the technique

reduces physiological arousal. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy explains anger through the

client's beliefs and emotion, rather than the event itself. The concept involves clients interpreting

events in a rational manner in order to avoid irrational thoughts that lead to anger. Delayed

reaction technique is when clients attempt to uncover what is making them angry before acting

out on their anger. This allows them to have time to change what is making them angry and

increase time before their response; this encourages thought on a more rational level. In addition,

clients are also encouraged to avoid demands in order to avoid anger. An example of a demand

placed on a client may be that, "I have to have this done by my standards". Diet treatments,

reflexology, and acupuncture are methods of treating anger that have mental health practitioners

skeptical. The diet or nutritional treatments are aimed at uncovering the problem that is at the

source of their anger. The process of uncovering the problem is done by researching biochemical

imbalances that have an influence on mental health. For example, an individual who consumes

gluten rich foods may be negatively influenced because his or her body is unable to process

gluten properly. This negative influence may result in an increase in aggression, irrational

thought process, and ultimately anger.

Anger treatments success rate can be difficult to estimate because anger is not a

recognized disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This manual is

used as a reference for mental health professionals. Some research does exist on comparing

various treatments for anger, but they also describe methodological difficulties in making

accurate comparisons. The most concrete evidence for anger treatment is that multiple

techniques have proven to be more successful than a single technique. The relaxation approach

had the highest success rate as a standalone treatment. The effectiveness of the CBT-based anger

management therapies has been evaluated by a number of meta-analyses. In a 1998 meta-

analysis with 50 studies and 1640 individuals, measures of anger and aggression were used to

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compare the effects of the anger management intervention with no treatment. A significant effect

for anger management was found with a 67% chance of improvement for individuals having

received the anger management as compared to the individuals without the therapy. In addition, a

2009 META-analysis compared psychological treatments for anger across 96 studies. After an

average of 8 sessions, a significant improvement in anger reduction resulted. Overall, the

completion of an anger management program is likely to result in long lasting positive changes

in behavior.

Professionals

One motivation for seeking anger management can be career related. As both a

preventative and corrective tool, anger management is available to help individuals cope with

potentially anger-inducing aspects of their jobs. One such situation applies to caretakers of

individuals with mental illness. The daily stress combined with slow or no progress with the

people under their care can create a high level of frustration. Skills training for caretakers of

relatives with dementia has been developed to help cope with these feelings of frustration in a

positive manner.

Anger management is also beneficial in law enforcement. The role of police officers is to protect

civilians, however conflicts between the police and the general public can develop. The goal of

anger management would be to reduce such occurrences like police brutality from negatively

impacting the relation between law enforcement and citizens. Anger management programs

tailored towards this goal could orient themselves towards these means by focusing on conflict

resolution and including specific law enforcement scenarios in the training. This need was

noticed by Novaco, who originally designed an intervention for anger management based on

cognitive behavioral therapy, resulting in a specialized skills training program for law

enforcement.

Children and adolescents

Anger management programs with a cognitive-behavioral basis have been modified for children

and adolescents. There are three common types of CBT aimed at the youth. First, skills

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development (Communication, negotiation, rationalization, etc.) uses modeling to teach

appropriate reactions to anger. Second, effective education focuses on identifying the feelings of

anger and relaxation. Finally, problem solving conveys a view of cause and effect for situations

as an alternative to anger. A wide range of methods can be used to convey these three

components, with both age and severity being important factors. For younger children,

involvement can be increased by presenting anger management in more of a fun format with

educational games and activities being available. For adolescents, group therapy can be an

effective form given the resemblance to the individual's natural social environment. The severity

of expressed anger issues often relates to the intensity of the subsequent anger management

program. A few violent outbursts in a classroom setting could result in several sessions with the

school's counselor. However, more severe juvenile delinquency could result in court mandated

anger management sessions in a juvenile correctional facility.

The effectiveness of anger management has been studied in children and adolescents for

the purpose of evaluating existing programs and designing more effective programs. In a meta-

analyses of 40 studies, an overall effect size of 0.67 was found for CBT anger management

treatment, suggesting anger management as a legitimate approach to problematic levels of anger.

Skills development (0.79) and problem solving (0.67) both had a higher impact than affective

education (0.36). This was believed to be due to behavioral aspects being more easily conveyed

than cognitive for children.[28] The true value from early interventions aimed at youths comes

from the preventative aspect. Curbing negative behaviors early in life could lead to a more

positive outlook as an adult.

Individuals with intellectual disabilities

Individuals with intellectual disabilities can struggle with managing anger. When faced with

aggression from individuals with an intellectual disability, caretakers often employ a

combination of four different strategies. Depending on both the setting and individual, the

following strategies for aggression minimization present in different ways.

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1. Reactive strategies

Aim to minimize impact of overtly aggressive behavior by using established

protocols. Ex. Enforced isolation after the start of a violent outburst.

2. Ecological interventions

Attempt to reduce aggression level by changing an aspect of the environment for

a more calming effect. Ex. Reducing ambient noise to lower irritation.

3. Contingency management

Focuses on modifying behavior through a combination of reinforcement and

punishment. Ex. Using a token economy to enforce rules concerning behavior.

4. Positive programming

Teaches life skills as an alternative to aggression. Ex. Anger management with a

CBT background.

The need for anger management is also evident in situations where individuals with

intellectual disabilities are prescribed psychotropic medication as the result of aggressive and/or

self-injurious behavior. The medication’s role as a chemical restraint does not help modify the

underlying cause of aggression. Sedation is best used as an emergency measure with skills

training as a long term solution to decreasing the overall rate of violent incidents. In a meta-

analysis reviewing 80 studies, behavioral based interventions were found to be generally

effective in modifying behavior. Additionally, cognitive behavioral therapy as administered by

lay therapists was found to be effective, which supports the feasibility of such anger management

programs.

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Impediments

There are a number of factors that can lower the probability of a successful anger

management intervention. One such obstacle is the level of the individual's motivation. Overall

low readiness is an impediment to the effectiveness of anger management due to the lower

attendance rates and negative effect on the therapeutic alliance. Involuntary assignment to an

anger management program, for example court mandated sessions, will result in a lower average

motivation level than voluntary admission. In one study with incarcerated inmates, there was a

correlation found between individual readiness and improvement.

Additionally, given the component of anger as a social construct, difficulty with

communication between cultures can serve as another impediment. What is deemed an

appropriate expression of anger is culturally dependent? Therefore, a mismatch between client

and therapist could result in a misunderstanding as to the end goal of the program. For example,

a client could only wish to decrease physical violence, while the therapist aims to decrease both

verbal and physical outbursts. Gender dependent expectations of anger expression can contribute

as well to societal standards. The same violent outburst for a man and woman is subject to

different interpretations due to anger being seen as more permissible in males.

The cost of taking anger management could also be a significant obstacle. The time

required for anger management depends on the program. Weekly one hour sessions with 8-12

sessions per program are common, but a single intensive all day session variety exists as well.

The monetary cost can amount to $30–$50 per session for general therapy, or much higher fees

for specialized coaching. The availability of anger management programs locally can be

problematic for more isolated areas, creating an additional cost for travel. However, online

options can follow the same structure as an in person intervention with similar outcomes.

Benefits

The benefits of undergoing anger management center on the successful reduction in anger

and violent outbursts. Personal relationships that have been previously strained by a high level of

aggression are likely to undergo improvement. Professionally, workplace relationships have a

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similar outcome that are beneficial to an individual's career and personal sense of satisfaction.

Legally, continued attendance to anger management programs, mandated or not, can be seen as a

sign of good faith. For incarcerated individuals, an earlier parole time can be the result of good

behavior learned from anger management classes. From an emotional standpoint, reducing the

internal level of anger results in a decrease in stress and an increase in overall happiness as a

result.

From a medical standpoint, physical illnesses also improve from positive emotional and

behavioral changes. Anger management style and overall level of anger has been associated with

both acute and chronic pain sensitivity. Blood pressure is another physiological aspect effected

by anger, with increased levels of anger being correlated with higher blood pressure. The

implications of an effect on blood pressure for overall health is made evident by the link between

high blood pressure and the increased risk of cardiovascular disease. An increase in the immune

system's efficacy has also been observed as a result of the increased level of relaxation.

Successful anger management could also lead to an overall longer life span due to the decrease in

reckless behavior and violent altercations.

Types of treatment

Here is a look at specific types of anger management treatment options that have been

studied and conducted in experiments. Several of the studies examined used self-report, which is

some psychologists feel could be a limitation for results. People do not want others to think of

them as angry individuals, so their answers could be changed to fit how society wants them to

behave.

Prevention and Relationship Enchantment Program

The Prevention and Relationship Enchantment Program (PREP) is a program that was

used in a study consisting of Air Force families. The families were assigned to either a traditional

multi-couple group format or a self- directed book version focusing on relationship satisfaction

and anger management skills. There was a significant main effect for time related to both

relationship satisfaction (pretest M = 49.8, SD = 17.6; post-test M = 53.8, SD = 17.6, F (1, 76) =

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6.91, p < .01), and anger management skills, (pretest M = 32.2, SD = 4.2; post-test M ``= 34.6,

SD = 4.0, F (1, 74) = 31.79, p < .001).

Positive therapy

This is a style that is commonly used in elementary schools for students expressing anger

outbreaks. Researchers who have looked into the reason for young student anger have found that

one common reason could be the inability to adjust socially. Students that were selected for this

study received a daily one-hour session throughout one week of school. The leaders of the

therapy talked with the children and tried to do activities that put the child in a positive mood

while interacting. At the end of the week, research showed that there was a negative correlation

between anger and social adjustment. This therapy lowered the overall anger levels of the

students involved while raising them in social adjustment.

Cognitive behavioral treatment and personal development

The use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is something that many anger

management therapies incorporate. By trying to get a patient to open up about their emotions and

feelings and being driven to accomplish a specific task (in this case controlling anger), a person

can see positive results in their behavior.

A specific study found in the Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry focused on using

a mix of CBT as well as trying to use personal development (PD) the patient. The conclusion of

the study found that the participants increased their usage of the anger management techniques

and that they also felt more in control of their own anger. On top of that, the PD led to higher

views of themselves and more positive self-esteem. Aggression has been shown to be a result of

poor self-worth as well as thinking that those around you do not care or support you, so this PD

is vital in helping change a person’s self-perception. Personal changes like these can lead to less

aggression and cut down on violent acts.

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Anger diary

Understanding your own emotions can be a crucial piece of learning how to deal with

your anger. Children who wrote down their negative emotions in an “anger diary” actually ended

up improving their emotional understandings, which in turn lead to less aggression. When it

comes to dealing with their emotions, children show the ability to learn best by seeing direct

examples of instances that led to certain levels of anger. By seeing the reasons why they got

angry, they can in the future try to avoid those actions or be prepared for the feeling they

experience if they do find themselves doing something that typically results in them being angry.

There is not sufficient evidence of this needing to be implemented in elementary schools, but

activities like this could lead to children writing down their negative feelings and anger and

taking time to cool down instead of lashing out and doing aggressive actions in person.

Groups that need anger management

Listed below are several different categories of people who would benefit from having

anger management courses and or training:

People with violent backgrounds

This is the easiest group to think of but is not a group of people you can skip right over.

Just because someone has a violent past does not mean they would not benefit from an anger

management (AM) program. One such study found that offenders who were currently in high

security hospitals that went through a self-report 20 class training program actually had very

positive results. Results of the self-report showed a decrease in aggression and a lack of

responding when angry. There were two issues to keep in mind though; a hospital setting and a

setting in which the researchers did not want to provoke much anger due to the instability of the

patients.

When it comes to previous anger offenders, the normal course of action focuses on how

to not respond when feeling angry. Few studies focus on forensic mental health settings like the

one previously mentioned. More tend to focus on understanding the person’s mental health could

lead to understanding what specific AM strategy would be most effective.

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People with intellectual disabilities

This is a group that a majority of the population might not associate with having AM

problems, but research shows over half of the population of Americans with intellectual

disabilities displays violent and aggressive actions somewhat regularly. People with a learning

disability tend to express anger and aggression to even those who help them on a daily basis.

Adults with intellectual disabilities are at high risk of acting aggressive and being send to clinics

due to their actions.

The “theory of the mind” approach states that people with anger management problems

tend to be unsteady mentally and are not able to internalize any blame for their actions. One of

the main reasons for anger outbursts is externalizing blame and having a quick impulse to lash

out. These individuals need to have a better understanding of what their actions mean and that

they should understand that blaming themselves for problems can sometimes be the right thing to

do.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) individuals

PTSD is a symptom that tends to lead people to act very violent and aggressive. People

with this condition are mentally fragile and people who interact with them need to be cautious.

This group can benefit from extended CBT dealing with anger management issues. One study

dealing with 86 war veterans found that during the 12 sessions of training, anger traits slightly

dropped as well as small reductions in expressing anger. Research also indicates that their

antisocial personality traits upon return can put them behind in society, so finding the right anger

management courses is of vital importance. There were not significant enough findings from this

study to definitely recommend veterans with PTSD to use CBT anger management courses.

People with traumatic brain injuries

People with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) tend to display very aggressive and dangerous

actions. A study in the Brain Injury (journal) showed that one way to prevent such actions is a

community based treatment of people with TBI. Results indicated that the need to lash out

diminished after the 12-week program, and a series of post-treatment testing showed a decline in

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self-reported frequency of angry actions. Other specific results included: significant decreases in

the frequency of experiencing angry feelings and the frequency of outward expression of anger

as well as significant increases in the frequency of controlling feelings of anger.

Bullies

This category of individuals needs to be helped because of the ongoing school shootings

across the United States. In a meta-analysis study composed of studies completed from 1979-

2010, young school aged children who were identified as portraying aggressive personalities

were given several different anger management classes. Overall, results showed slightly positive

results for children receiving the classes (less aggression). The courses aimed at reducing

negative emotions in the children and trying to help them with self-control. While no

overarching conclusions could be made, researchers state that children going through anger

management courses are more prepared to combat their anger internally and less likely to act out.

This is such a prevalent issue in our society, and while the results were not overwhelmingly

positive, any reduction in bullying is a step in the right direction.

Substance abusers

There is no statistical information that shows people who substance abuse also have high

rates of aggressive actions. However, researchers believe this is a group of people that should be

studied due to their questionable decision-making and typically unstable mental health.

Substance abusers could benefit from an anger management class not only in preventing

potential aggression, but potentially to understand that they need to slowly work off the drugs in

order to achieve a better mental state.

Ways to plan ahead for reduced chance of anger management

Research is starting to show that the better individuals understand what anger

management is and how it can help them personally and in relationships, aggressive actions are

less likely to occur. Specifically, couples need to understand what to do in a fight or

disagreement, and the more knowledgeable the individuals are on how to manage their anger, the

better prepared they are when confronted with a problem with another person.

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Child psychologists

The ability for young children to understand their emotions and how to react in certain

situations can greatly increase their chance of expressing themselves in an appropriate manner. A

2010 study from the Journal of Applied School Psychology looked at four 4th grade boys who

took part in different activities with the school psychologist, ranging from how to deal with your

emotions to practicing anger reduction strategies. They found a positive correlation between

partaking in these meetings and less anger expressing in a multitude of locations (school, home,

etc.).

This study also opens the question of what a school psychologist should be able to teach

to their children. Many schools do not put anger management under the issues child psychology

deals with, which means it is not always available to students. Having young children learn about

methods that would later prevent anger seems like a worthwhile issue.

Potential causes of development of anger problems

Things like heavy drinking, a mental disability, and PTSD can all lead to a person

committing an aggressive act against another person. Also not having any training on how to

handle oneself in a time of aggression can lead to very undesirable outcomes. These things are

typically associated with a heightened chance of anger, but there are other, less-known factors

that can lead to people acting in a negative way.

Migraines

Something as small as a frequent migraine can actually cause certain levels of aggression

and the need for anger management. A 2013 study examined migraines and its association with

anger problems in young children (m = 11.2 years of age). The patients in the study were split

into low migraine attack frequency (AF), intermediate AF, high frequency, and chronic migraine

AF. The tendency for a participant to inhibit their anger and not lash out was found more in

children with higher AF. Children that qualified for low migraine AF actually had more anger

expression.

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What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence Quotient is defined as a set of competencies demonstrating the

ability one has to recognize his or her behaviors, moods, and impulses, and to manage them best

according to the situation.

Typically, "emotional intelligence" is considered to involve emotional empathy; attention

to, and discrimination of one's emotions; accurate recognition of one's own and others' moods;

mood management or control over emotions; response with appropriate (adaptive) emotions and

behaviors in various life situations (especially to stress and difficult situations); and balancing of

honest expression of emotions against courtesy, consideration, and respect (i.e., possession of

good social skills and communication skills).

Additional, though less often mentioned qualities include selection of work that is

emotionally rewarding to avoid procrastination, self-doubt, and low achievement (i.e., good self-

motivation and goal management) and a balance between work, home, and recreational life.

In essence, EQ is the pattern of how people's biases in their thinking leads them to think

one thing or choice is better than another, as well as their clarity in differentiating within those

biases to exercise clear and sound judgment.

How is EQ Different from Personality?

In psychology, personality refers to the emotion, thought, and behavior patterns unique to

an individual. Personality influences one's tendencies, such as a preference for introversion or

extroversion.

Like Intelligence Quotient (IQ), personality cannot be used to predict EQ. However, as

EQ can identify both the biases and clarity in one's thinking patterns that allow them to make

good sound decisions, personality only refers to the biases in the behaviors themselves.

Personality tests typically only distinguish four categories of temperament but do not

distinguish which melancholy person is actually high in ambition.> For example, business people

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know that they want an extrovert to fill the sales position, but they cannot tell from a

temperament test which ones will be persistent from those who will be insistent.

It is desirable for salespeople to have persistence, which allows them to have the energy,

drive, and thick skin to develop and close new business. Less effective, however are insistent

salespeople who 1) turn off prospective buyers because they are too pushy, and 2) cannot give up

on a prospect who is not going to buy when they could be focusing their efforts on more

promising opportunities.

We know we want an extrovert, sensor, thinker, and judger (ESTJ) from the Myers-

Briggs Type Indicator for the vacant leadership role, but we cannot tell which ESTJ will make

sound judgments under stress and which ones will maim everyone in his/her path when under

stress.

An employee with a "good" personality may be fun, social, energetic, and outgoing.

However, having a "good" personality doesn't necessarily equate to success in the workplace. A

"good" personality tells you nothing about the fact that the employee can also make errors in

judgment due to lack of "clarity" when making decisions within their own biases.

This is why people with varying personality styles can successfully perform the same job.

It boils down to their ability to exercise clear and sound judgment in those situations their

job/role presents on a regular basis.

An employee with high emotional intelligence can manage his or her own impulses,

communicate with others effectively, manage change well, solve problems, and use humor to

build rapport in tense situations. These employees also have empathy, remain optimistic even in

the face of adversity, and are gifted at educating and persuading in a sales situation and resolving

customer complaints in a customer service role.

This "clarity" in thinking and "composure" in stressful and chaotic situations is what

separates top performers from weak performers in the workplace.

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As managers and business executives we have often asked ourselves the following

questions: Why do certain employees get into accidents more often than others? Why do they

violate company ethics and policies? Why do they ignore the rules of the organization? Why do

they use illegal drugs while on the job?

Why do some people cause conflict while others are so gifted at resolving it? Why do

they put self-interest ahead of the organizational values? Why do some salespeople build large

books of new business with ease while others struggle to do so even though they seem to be

putting forth the required effort?

In many cases the answer to the above questions lies in "emotional intelligence" rather

than the individual's "personality type."

"Unmet emotional needs cause the majority of problems at work."—EQI.org

EQ Competencies that Correlate to Workplace Success

The following outlines a set of five emotional intelligence competencies that have proven

to contribute more to workplace achievement than technical skills, cognitive ability, and standard

personality traits combined.

A) Social Competencies that Determine How We Handle Relationships

o Intuition & Empathy

Our awareness of others' feelings, needs, and concerns. This competency is important in the

workplace for the following reasons.

o Understanding others

An intuitive sense of others' feelings and perspectives, and showing an active

interest in their concerns and interests

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o Customer service orientation

The ability to anticipate, recognize, and meet customers' needs

o People development

Ability to sense what others need in order to grow, develop, and master their

strengths

o Leveraging diversity

Cultivating opportunities through diverse people

o Political Acumen and Social Skills

Our adeptness at inducing desirable responses in others. This competency is important in the

workplace for the following reasons.

o Influencing

Using effective tactics and techniques for persuasion and desired results

o Communication

Sending clear and convincing messages that are understood by others

o Leadership

Inspiring and guiding groups of people

o Change catalyst

Initiating and/or managing change in the workplace

o Conflict resolution

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Negotiating and resolving disagreements with people

o Building bonds

Nurturing instrumental relationships for business success

o Collaboration and cooperation

Working with coworkers and business partners toward shared goals

o Team capabilities

Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals

B) Personal Competencies that Determine How We Manage Ourselves

o Self-Awareness

Knowing one's internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions. This

competency is important in the workplace for the following reasons.

o Emotional awareness

Recognizing one's emotions and their effects and impact on those around us

o Accurate self-assessment

Knowing one's strengths and limits

o Self-confidence

Sureness about one's self-worth and capabilities

Self-Regulation

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Managing one's internal states, impulses, and resources. This competency is important in the

workplace for the following reasons.

o Self-control:

Managing disruptive emotions and impulses

o Trustworthiness

Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity

o Conscientiousness

Taking responsibility and being accountable for personal performance

o Adaptability

Flexibility in handling change Innovation being comfortable with an openness to

novel ideas, approaches, and new information

o Self-Expectations and Motivation

Emotional tendencies that guide or facilitate reaching goals. This competency is

important in the workplace for the following reasons.

o Achievement drive

Striving to improve or meet a standard of excellence we impose on ourselves

o Commitment

Aligning with the goals of the group or organization

o Initiative

Readiness to act on opportunities without having to be told

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o Optimism

Persistence in pursuing goals despite obstacles and setbacks

Emotional Intelligence's Impact on the Bottom Line

To date, many companies have focused their selection criteria and training programs on

hard skills (e.g., technical expertise, industry knowledge, education) and the assessment of

personality traits.

Topics including competencies like stress management, assertiveness skills, empathy, and

political/social acumen were never measured in the selection process or focused on in training

and development programs.

In reality, these are critical success factors that should not be dismissed, and have a direct

impact on the bottom line.

For example, the Hay Group states one study of 44 Fortune 500 companies found that

salespeople with high EQ produced twice the revenue of those with average or below average

scores. In another study, technical programmers demonstrating the top 10 percent of emotional

intelligence competency were developing software three times faster than those with lower

competency.

A Fortune 500 company in financial services proved that their high EQ salespeople

produced 18 percent more than the lower EQ salespeople. One recent study conducted by a

Dallas corporation measured that the productivity difference between their low scoring

emotional intelligence employees and their high scoring emotional intelligence employees was

20 times.

A Texas-based Fortune 500 Company had utilized personality assessments for candidate

selection for years with little results in reducing turnover in their high turnover sales force. After

turning to an emotional intelligence-based selection assessment and EQ training and

development program, they increased retention by 67 percent in the first year, which they

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calculated added $32 million to their bottom line in reduced turnover costs and increased sales

revenues.

A large metropolitan hospital reduced their critical care nursing turnover from 65 percent

to 15 percent within 18 months of implementing an emotional intelligence screening assessment.

A community bank that reduced staff by 30 percent due to the sluggish economy assessed the

remaining workforce for their emotional intelligence competencies, placed them in the right role

for those competencies, and the bank is now producing more with less people.

Lastly, through a series of recent studies conducted by ZERORISK HR, Inc., a

correlation was found between low emotional intelligence and theft and shrinkage. One other

study in the construction industry yielded results showing workers with low emotional

intelligence had a higher likelihood of getting injured while on the job.

All of these cases are starting to prove the value of having highly emotionally intelligent

employees make up your workforce if you want a competitive advantage in this highly

competitive business world.

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REFERENCES of 10 International journals.

BibliographyAssanova, M. (2009). Applicability Analysis of the Emotional Intelligence Theory , 5-35.

Din, W. B. (2012). EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND DEMOGRAHIC DIFFERENCES AMONG STUDENTS IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES , 93-99.

Foo, M. D. (2004). EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEGOTIATION. The International Journal of Conflict Management , 411-429.

GÜNDÜZ, B. (2013). Emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility and psychological symptoms in pre-service teachers , 13-20.

Matthews, G. (2004). Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: , 371-399.

Naseer, Z. (2011). Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Team Performance in higher education institute , 30-46.

Salovey, P. (1990). Emotional Intellegence , 185-203.

Schutte, N. S. (2013). Increasing Emotional Intelligence through Training , 56-72.

Shahzad, S. (2013). UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONS IN ADOLESCENTS. 386-394.

Singh, T. (2008). Relationship of Emotional Intelligence with Transformational Leadership and Organizational Citizenship Behavior , 3-21.

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