Women and Anger: Gender and Sex Role Differences in Anger Expression and Their Effects on Depression and Self Beverly Ann Kopper-Roland Iowa State University
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1988 Women and anger: gender and sex role differences in anger expression and their effects on depression and self Beverly Ann Kopper-Roland Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Kopper-Roland, Beverly Ann, "Women and anger: gender and sex role differences in anger expression and their effects on depression and self " (1988). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 8862. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/8862 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photo graph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are re produced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. These are also available as one exposure on a standard 35mm slide or as a IT x 23" black and white photographic print for an additional charge. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Number 8000164 Women and anger: Gender and sex-role differences in anger expression and their effects on depression and self Kopper-Roland, Beverly Ann, Ph.D. Iowa State University, 1988 UMI 300N.ZeebRd. Ann Aibor, MI 48106 Women and anger: Gender and sex role differences In anger expression and their effects on depression and self by Beverly Ann Kopper-Roland A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Psychology Approved: Signature was redacted for privacy. Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Major Department Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Graduate College Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1988 il TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 LITERATURE REVIEW 3 The Psychology of Women 4 Ethical Issues in the Psychology of Women 6 Counseling Women 11 Women and Anger 19 Anger and symptomology 23 Sex Role Issues 29 Summary 33 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 35 METHOD 40 Subjects 40 Materials 43 Demographic questionnaire 43 State-Trait Anger Scale (STAS) 44 Anger Expression (AX) Scale 46 Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI) 50 Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) 52 Bern Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) 54 Interpersonal Behavior Survey (IBS) 57 Procedure 59 RESULTS 61 Analyses of Variance 62 Multiple Regression and Correlation 106 Cluster Analyses 116 Preliminary analyses 116 Cluster analysis using factor scores 118 Validation of clusters 120 Ill Cluster analysis using unit factor scores 129 DISCUSSION 134 Limitations of the Study 141 Implications 142 REFERENCES 145 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 154a APPENDIX A. TEST BOOKLET 155 APPENDIX B. INSTRUCTIONS FOR TESTING BOOKLET ADMINISTRATION 184 APPENDIX C. PEARSON CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS FOR SAMPLE VARIABLES BY SEX 187 APPENDIX D. PEARSON CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS FOR SAMPLE VARIABLES 220 APPENDIX E. SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE MEANS FOR THE CLUSTERING VARIABLES 243 iv LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Demographic characteristics of subjects 41a Table 2. Correlational matrices for the Buss Durkee Hostility Inventory 51 Table 3. Means and standard deviations for the total sample 63 Table 4. Analysis of variance for hypothesis one 65 Table 5. Significant differences in the means for sex role classification for trait anger 66 Table 6. Significant differences in the means for sex role classification for anger expression 67 Table 7. Analysis of variance for hypothesis two 69 Table 8. Significant differences in the means for sex role classification for anger suppression 70 Table 9. Analysis of variance for hypothesis three 71 Table 10. Significant differences in the means for sex role classification for anger control 72 Table 11. Analysis of variance for hypothesis four 74 Table 12. Significant differences in the means for sex, trait anger and anger suppression for depression 75 Table 13. Differences in the means for the interactional effect of trait anger and anger-out on depression 77 Table 14. Analysis of variance for hypothesis five — relation ship of sex, sex role, trait anger, anger-in, and anger-out and their interactions to self-confidence 80 Table 15. Significant differences In the means for sex role for self-confidence 81 Table 16. Significant differences in the means for trait anger for self-confidence 82 Table 17. Significant differences in the means for anger-in for self-confidence 83 V Table 18. Analysis of variance for hypothesis five — relation ship of sex, sex role, trait anger, anger-In and anger-out and their Interactions to dependency 84 Table 19. Significant differences In the means for sex for dependency 86 Table 20. Significant differences in the means for sex role for dependency 87 Table 21. Significant differences in the means for trait anger for dependency 88 Table 22. Differences in the means for the interactional effect of sex and sex role on dependency 89 Table 23. Analysis of variance for hypothesis five — relation ship of sex, sex role, trait anger, anger-in, and anger-out and their interactions to passive- aggressiveness 90 Table 24. Significant differences in the means for sex for passive-aggressiveness 91 Table 25. Significant differences in the means for sex role for passive-aggressiveness 93 Table 26. Significant differences in the means for trait anger for passive-aggressiveness 94 Table 27. Significant differences in the means for anger-in for passive-aggressiveness 95 Table 28. Significant differences in the means for anger-out for passive-aggressiveness 96 Table 29. Analysis of variance for hypothesis five — relation ship of sex, sex role, trait anger, anger-in, and anger-out and their Interactions to conflict avoidance 97 Table 30. Significant differences in the means for sex role for conflict avoidance 98 Table 31. Significant differences in the means for anger-in for conflict avoidance 100 Table 32. Significant differences in the means for anger-out for conflict avoidance 101 vl Table 33. Differences In the means for the Interactional effect of sex role and trait anger on conflict avoidance 102 Table 34. Analysis of variance for hypothesis five — relation ship of sex, sex role, trait anger, anger-In, and anger-out and their Interactions to guilt 103 Table 35. Significant differences in the means for trait anger for guilt 104 Table 36. Significant differences in the means for anger-in for guilt 105 Table 37, Analysis of variance for hypothesis five — relation ship of sex, sex role, trait anger, anger-in, and anger-out and their interactions to resentment 107 Table 38. Significant differences in the means for sex role for resentment 108 Table 39. Significant differences in the means for trait anger for resentment 109 Table 40. Significant differences in the means for anger-in for resentment 110 Table 41. Significant differences in the means for anger-out for resentment 111 Table 42. Pearson correlation coefficients for women and men 113 Table 43. Rotated factor pattern 117 Table 44. Analysis of variance with the five clusters 123 Table 45. Description of five clusters 124 Table 46. Cluster by sex frequency table 130 Table 47. Factor loading scores for clustering dimensions 131 vil LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Plot of seml-partlal r squared scores Figure 2. Group means for the three factors using a five cluster solution Figure 3. Plot of seml-partlal r squared scores Figure 4. Group means for the three dimensions using a three cluster solution 1 INTRODUCTION In recent years* traditional beliefs regarding the roles, ex periences, behaviors, and expectations of women, and about women, have gained more attention. This has prompted psychology and other mental health professions to examine their theories and assumptions about women. From this reexamination, a new field was born related to the psychology of women and increased attention was given to the area of counseling women. This resulted in new directions and guidelines for treating women which focused on egalitarian therapy relationships with a consciousness-raising approach. This included an exploration of a woman's sense of personal power and unexpressed anger and helping her to redefine herself apart from others. Encouraging women to nurture themselves and develop multiple skills to Increase competence and productivity also were advocated. Finally, through information col lected from the lives and experiences of female clients, critical life issues affecting women's development, personality, and life satisfaction were identified.