The relationship between anger expression style, anxiety sensitivity and some measures of mental health

Ljutnja je kompleksan emocionalni, fiziološki i psihološki fenomen kod kojeg možemo razlikovati doživljavanje (eng. experience) i izražavanje (eng. expression) ljutnje. Doživljavanje ljutnje odnosi se na intenzitet doživljene ljutnje dok se izražavanje ljutnje više odnosi na način na koji se ljutnja manifestira kod pojedinca, jednom kada je doživljena. Ljestvica izražavanja ljutnje (Spielberger i sur., 1985) najčešće je korišten mjerni instrument u slučaju ispitivanja stila izražavanja ljutnje, a do sada nije bila prevedena na hrvatski jezik. Unutar ovog mjernog instrumenta izražavanje ljutnje sastoji se od tri faktora: (a) Vanjska ljutnja - tendencija vidljivog iskazivanja ljutnje, najčešće na agresivan način, (b) Unutrašnja ljutnja - tendencija doživljavanja, ali potiskivanja izražavanja ljutnje te (c) Kontrola ljutnje - tendencija da u situacijama doživljavanja ljutnje, pojedinac ostane smiren te regulira emocionalnu i bihevioralnu ekspresiju ljutnje. U novijim radovima kao važan konstrukt, po stil izražavanja ljutnje pokazala se anksiozna osjetljivost (Thompson i Schmidt, 2021), koja označava strah od simptoma anksioznosti, na razini socijalnih, fizičkih i psihičkih briga (Taylor i sur, 2007). Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati faktorsku strukturu Ljestvice izražavanja ljutnje te prediktivnu važnost anksiozne osjetljivosti i njenih podskala te anksioznosti, depresivnosti i stresa na stil izražavanja ljutnje. Na skupini stanovnika RH starijih od 18 godina (N=523) provedeno je mjerenje varijabli u fokusu. Rezultati faktorske analize Ljestvice izražavanja ljutnje ukazali su na dvofaktorsku strukturu (unutrašnja ljutnja i vanjska ljutnja) sa ukupno objašnjeno 33.9% varijance. Provedbom 2 multiple regresijske analize, identificirani su značajni prediktori u kontekstu stila izražavanja ljutnje. Značajni prediktori stila izražavanja ljutnje prema van pokazali su se: stres te subskala anksiozne osjetljivosti psihičke brige. Značajnim prediktorima stila izražavanja ljutnje prema van pokazali su se: depresivnost te subskale anksiozne osjetljivosti socijalne brige i psihičke brige. Navedeni nalazi ukazuju na povezanost vjerovanja i ponašanja u osnovi anksiozne osjetljivosti i stila izražavanja ljutnjeIn the research tradition, a distinction is made between experience and expression of anger. According to this conceptualization, the experience of anger refers to the intensity of the anger experienced, while the expression of anger refers to the way in which anger is manifested, once it has been experienced. Spielberger's (1985) conceptualization and measurement instrument of anger expression is the most dominant theoretical framework in this area. According to him, the expression of anger consists of three factors: (a) Anger-Out - the tendency to express anger visibly, most often in an aggressive manner, (b) Anger-In - the tendency to experience but suppress the expression of anger, and (c) Anger-Control - the tendency that in situations of experiencing anger, the individual remains calm and regulates the emotional and behavioral expression of anger. In recent works, anxiety sensitivity has been shown to be an important construct in the domain of anger expression (Thompson and Schmidt, 2021), which indicates the fear of anxiety symptoms, at the level of social, physical and psychological concerns (Taylor et al, 2007). The aim of this research was to examine factor structure of Anger Expression Scale, as well as the predictive importance of anxiety sensitivity and its subscales and anxiety, depression and stress on the style of expressing anger. Measurement was carried out on a group of residents of the Republic of Croatia (older than 18 years old) (N=523). The results of the factor analysis of the Anger Expression Scale indicated a two-factor structure (Anger-In and Anger-Out) with a total of 33.9% of variance explained. Significant predictors of Anger-Out were shown to be stress and the anxiety sensitivity subscale, cognitive concerns. Significant predictors of the style of Anger-In were depression, and the anxiety sensitivity subscales psychological and social concerns. The above-mentioned findings indicate the connection between the beliefs underlying anxiety sensitivity and the style of expressing anger