Anger Management- A Court-Ordered Group for Adult Women

Anger is an emotional state characterized by hostility or antagonism toward something or someone. Anger management reduces the emotional state and related physiological responses. It remains integral to individual and community wellness and has been associated with better decision-making processes, better relationships with others, and increased self-confidence (Anjanappa et al., 2023): Anger Management- A Court-Ordered Group for Adult Women.

Anger management integrates several strategies. These include relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and problem-solving, among others. These strategies can be administered individually or through the group approach.

Group anger management is a form of psychotherapy that teaches individuals how to control their anger. In such sessions, the participants are taught how to identify the specific triggers of their anger and the behavioral strategies to manage anger.

Group anger management utilizes a dynamic framework where the group leader works with the participants to address their anger management issues. For seamless group operationalizations, communication and team cohesion is important (Anjanappa et al., 2023). During the first group meeting, the group leader will welcome all participants and communicate the group’s purpose to them.

They will also introduce themselves, their role in the group, and what is expected of each member. Additionally, the group member will set timelines for group activities, including the meeting times and materials that may be required in subsequent meetings. The leader will also welcome the participants and invite them to provide a brief introduction of themselves and their reason for joining the group.

The group’s first goal is to help member identify the triggers for their anger by the end of the second session. The second goal is to ensure members can identify the coping mechanisms for the identified triggers by the sixth session. These goals will steer members toward effective anger control.

Group Information

The anger-managed group will employ the closed group structure. The closed group structure allows members to join at a specific time and remain throughout the group. The closed group structure was preferred because of several reasons. Foremost, closed groups foster stronger group cohesion as members are present from start to end.

In cohesive groups, participants are likely to share their experiences and communicate freely with others. Closed groups also help in creating a sense of belonging to the participants. When members have a sense of belonging, they are more likely to cooperate with the groups processes and work together towards healing.

Closed groups also ensure the accountability of team members to themselves and the processes (Melicherova et al., 2021). These reasons underlined the selection of the closed group structure.

The group anger management program will be completed in ten sessions. The session will span ten weeks, with one session held every week on Fridays between 6 pm and 7 pm. Each session will be expected to last between 40 minutes to one hour. A group selection criteria will be applied to help select the most appropriate persons to join the group.

Per the criteria, only adult women will be allowed to join the group. All members will also be expected to complete a survey integrating their understanding of anger management. This includes their perceptions of anger, the significance of anger control, and their roles in the program.

Results from the surveys will inform areas to focus on during the sessions. The group meetings will be conducted in the town hall. The town hall is the most appropriate place as it is centrally located and easily accessible. The group will be composed of women aged 18 and above.

Progress Evaluation

The progress of the group will be evaluated against its goals. Several strategies will be employed to measure progress. Foremost, an evaluation framework will be established at the beginning of the exercise. The framework will detail the assessment periods, activities, and expectations.

The specific methods for evaluating the program will also be outlined. In this case, standardized assessment tools such as questionnaires, feedback solicitation, quizzes, and observations will be used to measure progress.

Standardized assessment tools, such as self-report questionnaires, will be used to assess the participant’s understanding of the learned provisions. The questionnaires will be centered on diverse aspects of anger management, such as coping strategies and trigger identification, and will be administered after every three sessions. Results from the questionnaire will inform possible improvement areas and the level of adoption of the learned provisions.

The group’s progress will also be measured by observing the group dynamics. Group dynamics provide insight into team cohesion and understanding of the learned provisions. Key aspects to look into during observation include members’ participation in group activities, as this will inform the comfort levels of the group members.

Feedback solicitation will also help in assessing the group’s progress. Feedback from the participants informs possible improvement areas. It also allows the group leader to gauge participants’ adoption and understanding of the learned provisions. Feedback will be sought after every session.

End-of-session quizzes will also be administered during the final meeting. The quiz will be centered on aspects of anger management, such as anger triggers and behavioral interventions against anger. The quiz will allow the educators and the leaders to gauge members’ understanding of anger management.

Examples of Agenda at Each Stage

Beginning

At the beginning phase, the topics under consideration include introductions, member orientation, and group agreement review. The introduction phase sets the tone for the program. It allows leaders to connect with the participants and explain their roles.

Likewise, members may be asked to introduce themselves based on their comfort level and the leader’s preferences. Members will also be asked if they know anyone else within the group. This may enable the discovery of connections that may be troublesome to the group.

Group Agreement Review

Group agreement review is the second agenda during the beginning stage. Group agreement review involves going through the group norms and the rules underlining the group’s operations.

Group agreement review should be done interactively with the participants. This may help the leader elucidate any concerns that the participants may be having. In this case, group members will have the opportunity to suggest and discuss the available stipulations.

Provision of a Safe Environment

Group leaders play a role in ensuring a safe environment for all participants. The first step toward ensuring a safe environment for all participants is to be supportive of the members. The leader must also be more active than they would be once the program is underway.

This may involve engaging the members, identifying members who have spoken little or those who have not spoken, and calling upon them to share. This allows members to develop a sense of belonging.

Establishing Norms

The group leader plays a role in ensuring healthy norms are established and counterproductive norms are extinguished. Leaders shape norms by responding to events in the group and by modeling the expected behavior. Healthy norms help the group realize its goals.

Middle Phase

The middle phase is the most significant stage in group therapy. Here, the actual therapy work is encountered and accomplished. Group leaders strive to strike a balance between the processes and content. The main issues in the middle phase include ensuring the participants are exposed to the right content and that processes are optimized.

Content encompasses information and feelings expressed in the group. Here, members work with the leaders toward exploring issues affecting them. In this case, the participants will work with the leader to explore anger management, touching on aspects of anger management such as triggers of anger, anger response, and behavioral interventions against anger. In addition, members also get to confront the challenges they have and make progress toward attaining group goals.

Processes define how members interact within the group. A group is where members get to connect freely. Team leaders ensure effective processes by paying thoughtful attention to how members behave within the group.

They should check for apparent tension among members, side conversations, and other interpersonal factors that may interfere with the information that needs to be passed to the members. Active engagement of team members is crucial in ensuring members are in the right mental state during group sessions.

Group leaders play a role in ensuring a healthy balance between content and processes. Both contribute to interpersonal interactions and cohesiveness within the group. Overconcentrating on the content at the expense of the process may significantly reduce the effectiveness of the program.

Likewise, leaders help group members by addressing their issues and providing constructive feedback to them. Feedback may help the group members modify their behaviors toward a productive change.

End Phase

The ending phase provides an opportunity for group members to honor their participation in the group and look forward to a positive future. The major thematic areas during termination include putting closure to the experience, examining the program’s impact on the wellness of the group, acknowledging the departure process and the emotions that may be triggered therein, and feedback solicitation.

Putting closure to the experience remains necessary in group therapy. It marks the culmination of weeks of learning and behavioral modification. Group leaders play a role in helping members put closure to their experiences during the program. They inspire them to learn and practice bidding goodbyes and hoping the lessons learned will positively impact their lives.

Examining the impact of the program on individuals’ lives is another important aspect of the end phase. Group anger management seeks to equip members with the skills necessary for anger control. At the end of the program, it is expected that each participant will have better anger control, identify the triggers to their anger, and the coping strategies necessary to arrest the anger.

Group leaders also play a role in helping the members acknowledge the feelings triggered by the program’s end. The culmination of a program or event often elicits mixed emotional responses. Leaders can support the affected members by being present for them. Members should also be told that the end accords them the power and freedom to practice whatever they learn.

At the end phase, members also provide and receive feedback on their experiences and roles. Through the feedback received, members are able to elucidate their strengths and weaknesses, as well as possible improvement areas. Leaders play a role in providing constructive feedback to the group members.

References

Anjanappa, S., Govindan, R., Munivenkatappa, M., & Bhaskarapillai, B. (2023). Effectiveness of anger management program on anger level, problem solving skills, communication skills, and adjustment among school-going adolescents. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_1216_22

Melicherova, U., Schott, T., Hoyer, J., & Köllner, V. (2021). (manualized) psychotherapy in open vs. closed groups: Which format is better? Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 145, 110459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110459

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1) Brief description of the treatment modality and evidence behind it. Write how the group leader would introduce the group to participants in the first meeting. Note the goals of the group: make sure these are measurable (1 page)