School-Related Anger in Israeli Adolescent Students

Abstract

This study set out to investigate major determinants and sources of student anger in the classroom and to identify commonly employed student responses to anger stemming from interaction with students and teachers alike. The sample consisted of 338 students enrolled in five junior high schools. Data were collected on major sources of anger evoked by students' interaction with peers and teachers, as well as students' responses to these anger-evoking situations. Confrontive problem-solving figured prominently among student anger-coping techniques. While adolescent boys prefer coping with their anger through hostile thoughts and aggressive 'acting out' types of behaviors (e.g. cursing, physical assault, retaliatory thoughts and actions, etc.) as well as active or physical palliative forms, females preferred coping through venting emotions (crying, feeling sad), confrontive problem-solving and instrumental social support. The most commonly reported techniques students employed in coping with teacher-related anger were anger-in, instrumental coping, instrumental social support and direct control mechanisms. Relative to girls, adolescent boys tended to cope more with teacher-related anger via aggression and to employ anger-out expressive behaviors. A number of techniques were found more frequently in coping with teacher than student-related anger, such as consulting with friends, consulting with parents, feeling of hatred. The implications for student counseling were discussed.