Anger and Postcombat Mental Health: Validation of a Brief Anger Measure with U.S. Soldiers Postdeployed from Iraq and Afghanistan

Autor/inn/en	Novaco, Raymond W.; Swanson, Rob D.; Gonzalez, Oscar I.; Gahm, Gregory A.; Reger, Mark D.
Titel	Anger and Postcombat Mental Health: Validation of a Brief Anger Measure with U.S. Soldiers Postdeployed from Iraq and Afghanistan
Quelle	In: Psychological Assessment, 24 (2012) 3, S.661-675 (15 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1040-3590
DOI	10.1037/a0026636
Schlagwörter	Validity; Anxiety; Depression (Psychology); Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Foreign Countries; Psychological Patterns; Military Personnel; Emotional Adjustment; Measures (Individuals); Screening Tests; Violence; Risk; Regression (Statistics); War; Help Seeking; Mental Health; Health Services; Afghanistan; Iraq + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Gültigkeit; Angst; Ausland; Emotionale Anpassung; Messdaten; Screening-Verfahren; Gewalt; Risiko; Regression; Regressionsanalyse; Krieg; Help-seeking behavior; Help-seeking behaviour; Hilfe suchendes Verhalten; Psychohygiene; Health service; Gesundheitsdienst; Gesundheitswesen; Irak
Abstract	The involvement of anger in the psychological adjustment of current war veterans, particularly in conjunction with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), warrants greater research focus than it has received. The present study concerns a brief anger measure, Dimensions of Anger Reactions (DAR), intended for use in large sample studies and as a screening tool. The concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity of the instrument were examined in conjunction with behavioral health data for 3,528 treatment-seeking soldiers who had been in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Criterion indices included multiple self-rated measures of psychological distress (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety), functional difficulties (relationships, daily activities, work problems, and substance use), and violence risk. Concurrent validity was established by strong correlations with single anger items on 4 other scales, and discriminant validity was found against anxiety and depression measures. Pertinent to the construct of anger, the DAR was significantly associated with psychosocial functional difficulties and with several indices of harm to self and to others. Hierarchical regression performed on a self/others harm index found incremental validity for the DAR, controlling for age, education, military component, officer rank, combat exposure, PTSD, and depression. The ability to efficiently assess anger in at-risk military populations can provide an indicator of many undesirable behavioral health outcomes. (Contains 7 tables and 4 footnotes.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10