Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy for Anger Management in Juvenile Delinquents: Effectiveness Study in a Turkey Child Prison

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) for anger management in Juvenile Delinquents. The therapy program consisted of eight sessions including relaxation, self-instruction, cognitive restructuring, and assertiveness training techniques. The therapy program has been conducted for juvenile delinquents in one of the juvenile prisons in Turkey. Sixty juvenile delinquents, aged between 14 and 18, who met the inclusion criteria (treatment = 30, control = 30), were included at the beginning of the study. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, State Trait Anger and Expression Inventory (STAXI), and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were administered as pre-test. At the end of the therapy program, final analysis was conducted on 35 participants (20 therapy group, 15 control group) due to participants dropout. Mixed ANOVA was conducted to examine the time (pre-test and post-test) and group effects (therapy and control group). Results showed that the participants in the therapy group showed a significant decrease in trait anger and anger expression scores, both subscales of STAXI and in the hostility subscale of BSI; a statistically significant increase in the anger control scores of the subscale of STAXI when compared to the control group. In conclusion, this culturally attuned CBGT for anger management may be applicable for Juvenile Delinquents in Turkey.