Anger, Anger Expression Types, Problem Behaviors, and Suicide Probability in Adolescent Women using Cluster Analysis

This cross-sectional study was designed to identify anger-expression types of adolescent women and investigate the relationship between the identified anger-expression types and their problem behaviors and suicide probability.

The participants were 942 students at two female high school located in Gwangju. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and Scheffe multiple comparison test.

Cluster analysis revealed 4 distinct anger expression types; Anger-out, Low anger expression, Anger-control, and Anger-in/out types. Female adolescent women had a higher level of trait anger or who frequently used the anger-in/out type reported internalized-externalized problem behaviors and suicide probability more frequently compared to those who frequently used the other three types of anger expression.

Female adolescent women who had the low anger expression type and anger control type managed anger most effectively. The findings suggest the necessity of a development of the program for lowering the trait anger level and controlling the unfavorable anger expression types such as the anger-in/out.