The Anger Management Intervention in People with Physical and Multiple Disabilities

This paper describes the evaluation of a group program designed specifically to meet the anger management needs of a group of individuals with various levels of intellectual disability and/or complex communication needs.

29 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waiting-list comparison group. The Intervention comprised a 12-week anger management program which incorporates adapted content and pictographic materials developed for clients with a range of disabilities.

On completion of the program, clients from the intervention group had made significant improvements in their self-reported anger levels, compared with clients from the comparison group, and relative to their own pre-intervention scores. Treatment effects were maintained at 4-month follow-up. In contrast, there was an absence of measured improvements in Quality of life.

The results provide evidence for the program’s effectiveness as an intervention for anger problems for individuals with a range of disabilities.