Using Positive Emotion Training With Maltreated Youths to Reduce Anger Bias and Physical Aggression.

ABSTRACT: Maltreated youths often overinterpret anger in others' emotional expressions, particularly expressions that are ambiguous, and this "anger bias" is associated with aggressive behavior. In the current experiment, we tested the effect of an emotion-training intervention on anger bias and subsequent aggression. Eighty-four youths, ages 8 to 17, who had been removed from home because of maltreatment and had screened positive for aggressive tendencies, served as participants. Over 4 days, youths completed positive emotion training, a computerized program in which youths classify emotional expressions. Youths in the treatment condition received feedback to encourage their recognition of happiness over anger in ambiguous expressions. Physical aggression up to 1 week posttraining was assessed on t

SUBMITTER: Dickerson KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8204906 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature