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Part of the book series: ABCT Clinical Assessment Series ((ABCT))

Abstract

Problems with anger and aggression represent two of the most common causes for referral for mental health treatment, often because of the implications these problems have on social relationships. In some cases the aggressive and antisocial behavior leads to social rejection by the people around them; in some cases the social rejection from others triggers escalating anger and aggression, and in many cases the relation between aggression and social rejection is bidirectional. Because of their difficulties with social relationships, it is critically important to understand the nature of the social skills of angry and aggressive individuals. In this chapter we will discuss normal and problematic development of anger and aggression in youth and adults and will review the types of social-cognitive and social skill deficits that are apparent for aggressive individuals. The chapter will then review assessment and treatment issues with this population, with a particular emphasis on measures specifically tailored to provide information that can be useful in intervention.

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Acknowledgments

The completion of this chapter has been supported by grants to the first author from the National Institute for Drug Abuse (DA 08453; DA 16135), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (R49/CCR 418569).

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Lochman, J.E., Barry, T., Powell, N., Young, L. (2010). Anger and Aggression. In: Nangle, D., Hansen, D., Erdley, C., Norton, P. (eds) Practitioner's Guide to Empirically Based Measures of Social Skills. ABCT Clinical Assessment Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0609-0_10

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