Understanding Anger & Causes Flashcards

Which of the following BEST represents a 'HALT' vulnerability to anger escalation?

Answer: Being Hungry, Angry already, Lonely, or Tired

HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) identifies four physiological and emotional states that substantially lower frustration tolerance and increase anger susceptibility.

A client reports that her anger always emerges when she feels she has no choice in a situation. The CORE unmet need driving this anger is MOST likely:

Answer: Autonomy

Anger triggered by perceived lack of options or coercion points to a threatened need for autonomy — the freedom to make self-directed choices.

In the ABC model (Ellis), the 'B' stands for Beliefs. In anger, irrational beliefs MOST commonly take which form?

Answer: 'Others MUST treat me with respect or they are terrible people.'

Rigid 'must' and 'should' demands (musturbation) are the irrational beliefs Ellis identified as the primary cognitive drivers of disproportionate anger.

Cross-cultural research on anger shows that in collectivist cultures, anger is MOST often suppressed because:

Answer: Expressing individual anger risks disrupting group harmony and social obligations

In collectivist societies, group cohesion takes precedence over individual emotional expression, making overt anger socially costly and therefore more suppressed.

Which of the following is a hallmark characteristic of 'anger-in' (suppressed anger) as opposed to 'anger-out' (expressed anger)?

Answer: Elevated risk of psychosomatic complaints and depression

Chronic anger suppression (anger-in) is associated with somatization, rumination, hypertension, and depressive symptoms due to inward-directed tension.

A CART therapist asks a client to track the situations, thoughts, and body sensations preceding each anger episode. This technique PRIMARILY serves to:

Answer: Increase interoceptive and situational self-awareness to identify patterns

Anger logs build self-awareness by revealing personal trigger patterns, early physical warning signs, and cognitive precursors that precede full escalation.

Which physiological signal is MOST useful for a client to recognize as an early warning of escalating anger BEFORE full emotional hijacking occurs?

Answer: Muscle tension in the jaw, shoulders, or fists

Somatic cues such as jaw clenching, shoulder tightening, or fist formation are early-warning physiological signals that precede full amygdala hijacking.