RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SELF-EFFICACY, OPTIMISM, TRAIT ANGER, AND ANGER EXPRESSION

Much contemporary research has focused on the correlation of anger with pathological thinking and behavior in clinical populations. Thus, data were gathered to describe the relationship of trait anger and modes of anger expression with rational health-promoting ways of thinking (i.e., dispositional optimism and self-efficacy) in a sample of 720 college students. Dispositional optimism and self-efficacy were positively correlated with a tendency to express anger through discussion and negatively correlated with a tendency to suppress anger, express anger outwardly in a blaming way, experience physical discomforts when angry, and be chronically angry. Health promotion and counseling implications were discussed.