Anger among Mental Healthcare Nurses in Japan: In the Context of Workplace Violence

Anger may arise following harmful experiences such as violence, and managing anger may be crucial for the mental health of those working in environments prone to physical or verbal abuse, such as psychiatric wards. Although anger is a basic emotion, research concerning anger is limited. To examine the association between anger and mental health status in the context of workplace violence, we distributed a questionnaire to 569 psychiatric nurses in Japan. Compared to studies conducted outside Japan, these nurses' mean scores on the Dimensions of Anger Reaction-5 (DAR-5) scale were lower. A multivariate analysis revealed that the following significantly predicted higher levels of anger: working in a chronic care ward, psychological distress, secondary traumatic stress, and the experience of workplace violence. These findings highlight the importance of conducting further research on anger related to workplace trauma.