The Relationship Between State-Trait Anger Expression and Attrition Rates of African Americans in Court Ordered Anger Management Treatment

This research examined the relationship between state-trait anger and attrition rates of African Americans in court ordered anger management (COAM). In this study, archival data was collected from African Americans clients sentenced to COAM from 2011-2018 at a university counseling clinic. The results indicated that no relationship exists between state-trait anger and attrition from COAM. Men were found to have higher scores on state anger physical and trait anger reaction. Results also indicated that younger participants were more likely to have higher state anger verbal and state anger physical scores than older participants. These results yielded shed light on the need for appropriate pre-screening, cultural sensitivity, and recognition of possible bias in the referral process from judicial systems for African Americans. The sociopolitical implications of African Americans receiving harsher criminal sanction and possibly inappropriate clinical treatment as part of those sanctions is an area for future research. While the clinical implications for counselor educators and clinicians suggest that additional training is needed to increase advocacy for African American clients in COAM.