Proposed Subtypes of Anger Rumination: Brooding and Reflection and Their Associations with Aggression

Rumination maintains, exacerbates, and is related to several maladaptive outcomes including negative affect (e.g., sadness, anger), symptoms of depression, and aggression in samples of nonclinical and clinical populations across developmental periods (e.g., McLaughlin & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2011; Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991; Nolen-Hoeksema, 1996; Thomsen, 2006; Peled & Moretti, 2007; Yang, et. al., 2014). Recently, the construct of sadness rumination has been conceptualized as two distinct subtypes, reflection and brooding (Treynor, Gonzalez, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2003). Brooding is considered maladaptive because feelings and situations are viewed through a negativistic lens and reflection is viewed as adaptive and uses a problem-solving approach (Lopez, 2010; Burwell & Shirk, 2007; Smith & Alloy, 2009; Treynor, et al., 2003). The current study aimed to expand upon this past research and examine whether a two-factor model of rumination (brooding and reflection) is relevant for anger rumination and examine which subtype is associated with different forms of aggression. Results revealed that a two-factor model of anger rumination was a better fit than a one-factor model. Furthermore, this study found that brooding significantly associated with increases in physical and relational aggression and reflection was significantly associated with decreases in physical and relational aggression. However, reflection and not brooding was determined to be significantly associated with elevated levels of verbal aggression. Importantly, sex did not moderate the relationship between brooding and the different forms of aggression. Overall, these findings provide evidence of brooding and reflection subtypes for anger rumination and increases the specificity of how risk factors for aggression are conceptualized, thus informing future directions for research and treatment

Examining the Interplay of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Trait Anger As Contributing Factors To Institutional Misconduct Among Justice-Involved Adolescents

Background: Although justice-involved adolescents have a higher prevalence of trait anger and of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than adolescents in the general population, these factors have not been examined in relation to institutional misconduct. Aims: We sought to examine associations between ADHD symptoms and misconduct, including aggression, disruptive behaviours and other rule-violating behaviours among adolescents in a maximum-security residential facility run by the Department of Juvenile Justice and to test the moderating effect of trait anger on such relationships. Methods Archival data collected from April 2010 to May 2011 comprising a resident cohort (N = 119) of justice-involved adolescents (mean age = 16.74) were analysed; 30% were White and 70% Black. Self-report measures of ADHD symptoms and trait anger were collected 2 weeks after their admission to the facility. Behavioural write-ups of rule violations issued by facility staff during the month following the collection of these measures were coded according to the different forms of institutional misconduct. Results: Analyses revealed that trait anger significantly predicted disruptive behaviours occurring within a 1-month time frame following the administration of the anger measure; it also predicted all other rule violating behaviours except aggression. ADHD symptoms, by contrast, were only marginally predictive. Trait anger did not moderate this small relationship between ADHD symptoms and institutional misconduct. Conclusions: These findings that adolescents with a chronic tendency to feel angry are more likely to violate a variety of institutional rules during the first few weeks of admission to a juvenile justice maximum-security residential facility suggest that early intervention efforts are needed to minimise harm within the institution and to prevent these adolescents from continuing on this trajectory, which may affect the conditions of their release

Internalization of Behavior Management Skills Among Teachers In a Specialized School Serving Students With Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Prior studies suggest that the fidelity of teachers’ implementation of behavior management practices in the classroom diminish over time. Establishing how long it takes teachers to fully learn and sustain their independent use of these skills may aid in addressing implementation drift. The primary goals of this pilot study were twofold: (1) determine how long it takes teachers employed at a school serving students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders to internalize evidence-based behavior management practices (i.e., positive reinforcement, direct commands), and (2) establish whether some skills take longer than others for teachers to internalize. We also had the opportunity to evaluate whether a pre-determined threshold of skill internalization (e.g., 50% increase in skill use for three consecutive weeks) as defined in the extant literature translates into sustained skill implementation. Our results suggest that the length of standard teacher trainings may not be adequate given upwards of 2 months is required for the internalization of one skill and the time needed to reach internalization is dependent upon the skill taught and may deviate by at least 2 weeks across skills. However, given the variability observed in teachers’ implementation of skills following internalization, this pre-determined threshold of skill internalization may be insufficient and requires further examination in future studies