Psychological Management of Anger among Children
Main Article Content
Abstract
Anger in children is a multifaceted emotional response shaped by developmental and environmental factors,with significant implications for psychological and physiological health. These responses often emerge in everyday situations such as family and peer disagreements and shape how the child deals with anger over time. This review synthesizes contemporary research on the mechanisms underlying anger, including cognitive appraisals, physiological activation, and behavioral manifestations, emphasizing the cyclical nature of maladaptive anger responses. It critically appraises evidence-basedpsychological interventions targeting childhood anger, focusing on mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and parent management training (PMT). MBIs facilitate non-reactivity, present-moment awareness, and emotional regulation through techniques such as patience, relaxation, and cognitive acceptance (“letting go”). CBT enhances cognitivereappraisal and impulsecontrol, while PMT addresses familial interaction patterns reinforcing anger. Emergingtherapieslikeacceptanceandcommitmenttherapy (ACT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) add to the therapeutic repertoire. Although these approaches seem different theoretically, they often overlap in the clinical settings. The present paper advocates integrated, culturally tailored, and longitudinally validated interventions to empower children with adaptive anger regulation skills, supporting resilience and mental well-being. This review highlights the urgency of accessible, comprehensive psychological services addressing childhood anger in diverse community and school settings
Article Details
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.).
Balamurugan, G., Sevak, S., Gurung, K., & Vijayarani, M. (2024). Mental health issues among school children and adolescents in India: A systematic review. Cureus, 16(5), Article e61035.
Burke, C. A. (2010). Mindfulness-based approaches with children and adolescents: A preliminary review of current research in an emergent field. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 19(2), 133–144.
Chua, Z., & Shorey, S. (2022). Mindfulness-based interventions in parenting: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 25(1), 131–153.
Coyne, L. W., McHugh, L., & Martinez, E. R. (2011). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): Advances and applications with children, adolescents, and families. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 20(2), 379–399.
de Bruin, E. I., Formsma, A. R., Frijling, J. L., Spinhoven, P., & Bögels, S. M. (2015). Mindfulness-based interventions for people diagnosed with a current episode of an anxiety or depressive disorder: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. PLoS ONE, 10(4), Article e0122854.
Denson, T. F. (2015). Four promising psychological interventions for reducing reactive aggression. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(3), 199–204.
Dhawan, A. (2016). Women and mental health. Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, 7(1), 1–5.
Dhawan, A., Singh, S., & Taruna, T. (2018). Anger among adolescents: The role of mindfulness. International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Current Research, 6(1), 80–83.
Eyberg, S. M., Nelson, M. M., & Boggs, S. R. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with disruptive behavior. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 37(1), 215–237.
Felver, J. C., Doerner, E., Jones, J., Kaye, N. C., & Merrell, K. W. (2016). Mindfulness in school psychology: Applications for intervention and professional practice. Psychology in the Schools, 53(6), 540–552.
Kalra, S. (2024). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anger management in children with ADHD: A case study and review of techniques. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 12(4), 1318–1323.
Kazdin, A. E. (2015). Parent management training and child disruptive behavior: Advances and remaining issues. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 28(6), 520–525.
Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M.-A., Paquin, K., & Hofmann, S. G. (2013). Mindfulness-based therapy: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(6), 763–771.
Lochman, J. E., & Wells, K. C. (2017). Contextual social-cognitive mediators and moderators of outcomes in a preventive intervention for aggressive children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 85(7), 713–728.
Malik, F., & Marwaha, R. (2022). Developmental stages of social emotional development in children. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Matthys, W., Landsbergen, L., & de Castro, B. O. (2021). Increasing effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for children and adolescents with conduct problems. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Advance online publication.
McEwen, B. S. (2017). Neurobiological and systemic effects of chronic stress. Chronic Stress, 1.
Polanczyk, G. V., Salum, G. A., Sugaya, L. S., Caye, A., & Rohde, L. A. (2015). Annual research review: A meta-analysis of the worldwide prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 56(3), 345–365.
Pop, G. V., Denson, T. F., & Han, N. (2025). Anger and emotion regulation strategies: A meta-analysis. Emotion, 25(2), 123–140.
Ridderinkhof, K. R., De Kamps, D., & Krämer, U. M. (2021). Mindfulness-based interventions in autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analytic review. Autism Research, 14(10), 2085–2100.
Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Oberle, E., Lawlor, M. S., Abbott, D., Thomson, K., Oberlander, T. F., & Diamond, A. (2015). Enhancing cognitive and social-emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: A randomized controlled trial. Developmental Psychology, 51(1), 52–66.
Singh, N. N., Lancioni, G. E., Winton, A. S. W., Karazsia, B. T., Myers, R. E., Singh, A. N., & Singh, A. D. A. (2019). Mindfulness-based intervention for parent and child behaviors. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(7), 1931–1941.
Sukhodolsky, D. G., Kassinove, H., & Gorman, B. S. (2016). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anger and aggression in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 40(5), 426–439.
Suman, R. (2016). Anger expression: A study on gender differences. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 3(4), 62–72.
Varvogli, L., & Darviri, C. (2015). Stress management techniques: Evidence-based procedures that reduce stress and promote health. Health Science Journal, 9(1), 74–82.
van de Weijer-Bergsma, E., Formsma, A. R., de Bruin, E. I., & Bögels, S. M. (2014). The effectiveness of mindfulness training on behavioral problems and attentional functioning in adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23(7), 1914–1924.