J Korean Acad Nurs.  2006 Aug;36(5):821-828.

Association of Anger Expression Patterns and Health Status in Health Care Workers

• Lee WH
• Kang DH
• Park JH
• Kim SH
• Min SG
• Nho JH

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine anger-expression patterns and their association with state and trait anger and physical and psychological health status in health care workers. METHOD: Four hundred and forty eight nurses, physicians and technicians from a large medical center completed standardized questionnaires of anger, anger-expression patterns and mood. They also had blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and body mass index measured during their annual physical examinations. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, chi-square and ANOVA. RESULTS: Subjects showed two major clusters of anger-expression patterns: anger-control and anger-in/out. Subjects with the anger-in/out pattern reported higher state and trait anger and more anxiety, depression and fatigue than subjects with the anger-control pattern. Physical health indicators, however, were not significantly different between the two clusters of anger-expression patterns. CONCLUSION: Anger-expression patterns are associated with psychological health status but not with physical health status. Anger-expression patterns, however, need to be examined over time to assess their long-term effects on the physical and psychological health status in future studies.

Keyword

Anger expression; Anger; Health status

MeSH Terms

Adult
*Anger
Expressed Emotion
Female
*Health Status
Humans
Male
Medical Staff, Hospital/*psychology
Middle Aged
Models, Nursing
Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology