Anger in Offenders with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Section 1: Literature Review This paper reviews the literature relating to the cognitive behavioural treatment for anger in intellectual disability (ID) populations. It provides a narrative and also a meta-analysis of the current state of knowledge from 1999. It specifically examines cognitive behavioural interventions in both offender and non-offender populations. It provides an updated synthesis of the literature and presents a critique of it. The results indicate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for anger treatment in adults with IDs but highlights limitations of the meta-analysis. Section 2: Research Report This paper reports the findings of a study examining anger in offenders with IDs. The study compares a group of offenders with a group of non-offenders. The main aim of the study is to compare levels of anger between the groups to test the hypothesis that anger levels are higher in people who have offended in comparison to people who have not offended. Fifty-six participants completed questionnaires containing measures of anger, aggression, psychological symptoms and parental anger. The study reveals no difference between levels of anger between offenders and non-offenders. The study provides theoretical and clinical implications relating to the current treatment of anger in offenders with IDs.