Özet:

Anger is an experiential state and consists of cognitive, emotional, and physiological components. Maladaptive ways of anger expression may cause professional, social, physical, and legal problems. Prevalence and destructive consequences of anger-related problems increase the treatment importance of these problems. Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment option for anger control. In this case study, a 12-session CBT process of a 37-year-old female who suffered from anger management problems was presented. Psychoeducation about anger was provided and a record for anger-related situations was requested. The record helped the client to realize anger-related antecedents and situations, and to adjust herself proactively predicting her anger. She learned to follow “stop-think-act” order in angry times and to postpone aggressive behaviors by the self-given command of “stop”. She began to realize the cognitive distortions and to restructure her thoughts in the following sessions. Moreover, her awareness about the core belief of being worthless, the assumption about not self-disclosing to others in order to protect herself, or the rule of being respected increased and she realized the connection of these beliefs with her current problems and coping strategies. Besides, she began to be more tolerant in inter-personal relationships and to disclose her thoughts and feelings instead of aggressive behaviors. These interventions resulted in a decrease of trait anger, inappropriate anger expression, anger suppression, and in an increase of anger control as assessed by Trait Anger and Anger Expression Scales. In the present case CBT techniques were effective and consistent with the related CBT literature on anger management.

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