Using Implementation Intentions to Reduce Anger and Aggression in Adolescence

NCT03693209 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 017275
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

This study will test whether making plans of action for situations that trigger anger is effective in reducing anger and aggression in adolescents with behavioural problems. Participants will be assigned to three groups: a control group and two experimental groups. Participants assigned to the experimental groups will receive either one general anger trigger or a list of specific anger triggers in addition to a list of strategies that can be used to manage anger. Participants will be instructed to link the triggers with the strategies, thus creating action plans with an if-then structure. Participants assigned to the control group will receive the same lists. However, they will receive different instructions which will ask them to select separately the most encountered triggers and the most useful strategies. It is expected that making plans will reduce the anger and aggression of participants. It is also expected that the reduction will be larger for participants with low violent intentions, low callous-unemotional traits and low impulsivity.

Conditions

Aggression; Anger

Keywords

Implementation intentions; Volitional Help Sheet; Adolescent

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Brief Peer Conflict Scale - Youth self-report (Scott, Lapré, Marsee, & Weems, 2014)

  Self-report measure of aggression with 20 items. Each item can be rated from 0 (not at all true) to 3 (definitely true). Total scores range from 0 to 60. Higher scores indicate higher aggression. It contains four sub-scales: reactive physical aggression, reactive relational aggression, proactive physical aggression and proactive relational aggression. Each subscale contains 5 items and the score for each range from 0 to 15.

  Change from baseline to 6 months after intervention

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale (DAR-5; Novaco, 1975)

  Measured at baseline, one month after intervention and 6 months after intervention

• Peer Conflict Scale - Teacher report (Marsee, Kimonis, & Frick, 2004)

  Measured at baseline, one month after intervention and 6 months after intervention

Study Arms (3)

General trigger

EXPERIMENTAL

VHS with one general trigger: "If I am getting angry..." and 10 strategies (e.g. "Then I will take deep breaths"). Participants are instructed to link trigger with strategies.

Behavioral: Volitional Help Sheet (VHS)

Specific triggers

EXPERIMENTAL

VHS with a list of 10 specific situations that can act as anger triggers (e.g. "If I am getting angry when people act like they know it all") and 10 strategies. Participants are instructed to link triggers with strategies.

Behavioral: Volitional Help Sheet (VHS)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

List of 10 specific situations that can act as anger triggers and 10 strategies. Participants are instructed to select most encountered triggers and most useful strategies.

Interventions

Volitional Help Sheet (VHS) BEHAVIORAL

VHS with a general anger trigger and 10 anger management strategies

Also known as: implementation intentions, action-planning

General trigger

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 10 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Attending a school for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs.
• Being referred by school staff due to anger issues or behavioural problems.

You may not qualify if:

• Having severe or profound learning disabilities.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Sheffield: lead
• University of Manchester: collaborator

Study Sites (3)

Schools for children with Social Emotional and Mental Health needs.

Leeds, United Kingdom

Location

Schools for children with Social Emotional and Mental Health needs.

Sheffield, United Kingdom

Location

Secondary schools

Sheffield, United Kingdom

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Scott BG, Lapre GE, Marsee MA, Weems CF. Aggressive behavior and its associations with posttraumatic stress and academic achievement following a natural disaster. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2014;43(1):43-50. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2013.807733. Epub 2013 Jun 24.

  PMID: 23795776 BACKGROUND

• Marsee MA., Kimonis ER., Frick PJ. Peer conflict scale. Unpublished rating scale, University of New Orleans, 2004.

  BACKGROUND

• Novaco RW. Dimensions of Anger Reactions. Irvine, CA: University of California; 1975.

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aggression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Aberrant Motor Behavior in Dementia; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Social Behavior

Study Officials

• Laura Castillo-Eito, Msc

  University of Sheffield

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Christopher J Armitage, PhD

  University of Manchester

  STUDY DIRECTOR

• Paul Norman, PhD

  University of Sheffield

  STUDY DIRECTOR

• Richard Rowe, PhD

  University of Sheffield

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The control condition is active and has a similar format to the intervention conditions to avoid participants knowing which condition they have been assigned to. Outcomes are assessed by self-report.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: There will be one control group and two intervention groups. Each group will be independently be compared with the others, and not in combination.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 24, 2018
• First Posted: October 2, 2018
• Study Start: October 16, 2018
• Primary Completion: June 28, 2019
• Study Completion: June 28, 2019
• Last Updated: November 19, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-11

Locations

GB (3)