The aim of the study is to examine changes in aggression level of the aggressive children residing in an institution by applying an anger control program. Children residing in an Institution for Minor in K county who were in the sixth grade of the elementary school were subjected to an ’aggression diagnose test’ and a ’desire for aggression test.’ Total six children with high aggression scales were selected by the test, and three were randomly assigned in a control group and the rest three in a test group.
The program was comprised of relaxation activity, discussion to guide problem solving ability, structured activity related to a goal specific to each session, and free play. To encourage an active participation in the program and enable an optimal reception of the learning, a relaxation activity with fun physical play was conducted at the beginning of the program for releasing physical and emotional tension. A universal method was used to control anger including cognition-behavioral approach and training for social skill, self-instruction, self assertion, problem solving skill, and tension release. The program was implemented twice a week for 60 minutes per session for ten weeks in total.
The research tasks were as follows: first, to examine whether the anger control program reduces aggression of the children in an institution; second, whether the program reduces physical, verbal, and indirect aggression, denial, rage, or hostility as sub-categories of the aggression; and third, whether the program reduces aggressive behavior of the institutionalized children within a session. Changes of the aggression according to the research tasks were measured and compared before, after, and as a follow up of the program. To measure aggressive behavior such as physical, verbal, indirect aggression, denial, rage, and hostility, frequency of such aggression was recorded in a free play environment.
The results of the study are as follows. First, the anger control program reduced the aggression according to the aggression test. It also reduced all aggressive behaviors such as physical, verbal, indirect aggression, denial, rage, and hostility. Second, it reduced aggressive behavior of the institutionalized children within a session such as physical, verbal, indirect aggression, denial, rage, and hostility.
Although the study was a case study of a relatively small number of participants with limitations for a generalization, the results of the study showed that the anger control program had a positive effect on reducing the aggression of the children in an institution.
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