NAMA Assessment & Evaluation in Anger Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the STAXI-2, the 'Anger-In' subscale measures:
- The tendency to suppress or hold in angry feelings (Correct answer)
- The tendency to express anger outwardly toward people or objects
- The ability to control angry feelings through calming strategies
- The physiological arousal level associated with anger episodes
Correct answer: The tendency to suppress or hold in angry feelings
Anger-In reflects the tendency to suppress or hold anger inward rather than expressing it externally.
Question 2: A high trait anger score on the STAXI-2 indicates that the client:
- Is currently experiencing intense anger at the time of testing
- Has a stable dispositional tendency to experience anger frequently and intensely (Correct answer)
- Primarily expresses anger through physical aggression
- Has poor insight into their anger patterns
Correct answer: Has a stable dispositional tendency to experience anger frequently and intensely
Trait anger reflects a stable personality characteristic of experiencing frequent and intense anger across many situations over time.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of behavioral observation in anger assessment?
- Administering a standardized anger questionnaire
- Reviewing the client's anger diary entries from the previous week
- Noting the client's nonverbal cues, tone, and body language during the session (Correct answer)
- Calculating the client's total anger expression index score
Correct answer: Noting the client's nonverbal cues, tone, and body language during the session
Behavioral observation involves directly watching the client's nonverbal behavior, tone, and body language as evidence of anger patterns.
Question 4: The Anger Disorders Scale (ADS) differs from the STAXI-2 primarily because it:
- Only measures momentary state anger
- Assesses anger at clinically significant disorder-level intensity (Correct answer)
- Was designed exclusively for adolescent populations
- Focuses solely on verbal expression of anger
Correct answer: Assesses anger at clinically significant disorder-level intensity
The ADS was developed to measure anger at clinically significant levels, framing anger as a potential disorder that warrants clinical intervention.
Question 5: In anger management assessment, 'collateral information' refers to:
- Data gathered solely from standardized self-report questionnaires
- Information obtained from third parties such as family, employers, or legal records (Correct answer)
- Notes written by the clinician following a session
- Assessment data gathered from the client's employer only
Correct answer: Information obtained from third parties such as family, employers, or legal records
Collateral information comes from third-party sources such as family members, employers, or legal records, providing a broader view of the client's anger behavior.
Question 6: Which assessment method is most appropriate for measuring the physiological aspects of anger arousal?
- STAXI-2 self-report questionnaire
- Biofeedback monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension (Correct answer)
- Structured clinical interview
- Self-completed anger diary
Correct answer: Biofeedback monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension
Biofeedback directly measures physiological indicators — heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension — that reflect anger arousal in the body.
Question 7: Assessing a client's anger triggers during initial evaluation is most important because it:
- Identifies clients who are exaggerating their anger problems
- Allows interventions to be tailored to the specific situations provoking the client's anger (Correct answer)
- Determines the correct billing codes for insurance reimbursement
- Provides comparison to a national normative sample
Correct answer: Allows interventions to be tailored to the specific situations provoking the client's anger
Identifying specific triggers allows the specialist to customize treatment strategies targeting the exact situations that provoke that client's anger.
NAMA Assessment & Evaluation in Anger Management 2
In the STAXI-2, the 'Anger-In' subscale measures: