Q & A about Anger Management

Questions and Answers about Anger Management
Q & A with George Anderson of Anderson & Anderson


Q. What is anger management?
Anger management is an intervention which is designed to teach skills in improving communication, enhancing emotional intelligence, learning to manage anger and stress.

Q. How does this differ from counseling or psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is the treatment of mental and emotional disorders by psychological methods and/or psychotropic drugs. Psychotherapy is provided by Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Clinical Social Workers. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 73% of all mental health services in the United States are provided by Clinical Social Workers.
Anger is a normal human emotion. It is not a mental or nervous disorder and is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental and Nervous Disorders. Therefore, counseling, psychotherapy nor medication is appropriate as an intervention.
Finally, anger management intervention is not taught in any of the training programs for psychiatrists, psychologists or clinical social workers.

Q. Are there standards for Professional Anger Management Providers?
Currently, there are no standards relative to the training or practice of anger management. However, one organization, the American Association of Anger Management Providers has come up with recommended standards which will be recommended nationwide.
Q. What are these standards?
It is recommended that all providers complete a core curriculum consisting on forty hours. In addition, each provider should have a minimum of 102 hours of supervised internship from a trained provider. Finally, all providers should be required to use the Conover Anger Management Assessment which has undergone 20 years of research and can be used as a before and after assessment instrument.
Q. Is there any evidence that your anger management model works?
A. Evidenced research is very important and is being demanded by funding sources. Currently, the Anderson & Anderson model of anger management intervention is being studied in probation, prisons and schools throughout the United States. The most comprehensive study to date was done with an entire state department of Children and Family Services. This study will be published shortly.
Q. Are most clients sentenced to anger management classes?
A. Actually, most clients are either volunteers or ordered to attend by their
Employers.
Q. How long is an anger management class?
It is the Court/Judge who determines the length of an anger management class. In Californian, the average lengths of time ordered by the courts are 26 sessions.
Businesses in California generally require a minimum of 10 sessions for the completion of an anger management course as well as Executive Coaching for management staff.

Q. Are anger management classes’ co-ed or gender specific?
There are no requirements for gender specific classes. Anger is not related to gender. However, most of the referrals are men.

Q. Are most participants in anger management courses criminals?
Most anger management participants are not referred by the courts. Rather, they are self referred. Those who come from the courts are convicted or plead guilty to misdemeanors or infractions. This means that there are no felons in general anger management classes.

Q. How can you find a professional anger management provider?
A. There are two national provider lists for anger management. The first and largest is listed at http://www.andersonservices.com/providersus.html, the second list from the American Association of Anger Management Providers can be found at http://www.aaamp.org/MemberDirectory/tabid/162/Default.aspx .

George Anderson, MSW, BCD
Diplomate, Anger Management Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson
Brentwood, CA. 90025
http://www.andersonservices.com/, www.andersonservices.com/blog, http://www.angertrends.blogspot.com/