self-criticism and dependency in relation to anger

Psychological Report::, 1995, 76, 1342

O Psychological Reports 1995

SELF-CRITICISM AND DEPENDENCY IN RELATION TO ANGER ' DAVID M. DUNKLEY, KIRK R. BLANKSTEIN, AND GORDON L. FLETT Erindale College, Universio of Toronto in Missirsauga Summary.-In a sample of 233 university students, Self-critical and Dependent personality styles were each associated with indices of anger. Blatt, Cornell, and Eshkol (1993) proposed associations between two personality styles, self-critical and dependent, and anger. Self-critical persons who are concerned with achievement and self-worth and who are also overly crirical of themselves are rhought to be preoccupied with anger. Dependent persons who are concerned with interpersonal relationships and avoid contradiction and controversy are considered to have d&culty expressing anger. The Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (Blatt, D'Afflitti. & Quinlan, 1976). which measures self-criticism a i d ~ e ~ e n d e nand c ~ ,the State-Trait Anger ~xpressionInventory (Spielberger, 1991) were administered to 131 female and 102 male universitv students. Scores on Self-criticism were positively correlated with the disposition to experience anger (Trait Anger), the intensity of current angry feelings (State Anger), the tendency to experience and express anger without specific provocation (Angry Temperament), the disposition to express anger when criticized or treated unfairly by others (Angry Reaction), the frequency with which angry f e e h g s are suppressed (Anger-in), how often an individual expresses anger toward other people or objects in the environment (Anger-out), how often anger is expressed regardless of the direction of expression (Anger Expression), and scores were negatively correlated with the frequency with which an individual attempts to control the expression of anger (Anger Control); Pearson rs=.43, .23, .32, .38, .39, .20, .42, and -22, respectively (p