Academic literature on the topic 'STAXI-2'

This study was conducted in order to determine factor structure and reliability of STAXI-2-AX/EX (Spielberger, 1999) and to calculate the correlation between STAXI-2-AX/EX and the Housewives Burnout Questionnaire (CUBAC). The study sample included 226 housewives. Dimensional structure was estimated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Factor analysis results of STAXI-2-AX/EX showed that a four related factors model had an adequate goodness of fit, eliminating three items. Regarding the CUBAC, a two related factors structure presented the best goodness of fit, which improve if five items were eliminated. Finally, as we expected, the correlation between the two scales was positive (r= .38. We suggest that this study should be replicated in other countries.

Abstract. The purpose of the present study was to develop a short form of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) based on the German STAXI-2. Item selection was performed based on exploratory factor analyses (EFA) using descriptive statistical parameters and content-related considerations on calibration samples ( N1 = 215, N2 = 310). The factorial structure of the final extracted scales was validated via confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) ( N3 = 216, N4 = 310). Overall, results present an economic and reliable questionnaire with a total length of 24 items: State Anger short scales Feeling Angry, Verbal Anger Impulse, and Physical Anger Impulse (3 items each), that can be aggregated to a total State Anger score, as well as Trait Anger short scales Angry Reaction (3 items), Anger Expression-In, Anger Expression-Out, and Anger Control (4 items each). The structure of State Anger is identical to the German long version with improved internal consistency in the short form. Regarding the Trait scales, critique on the STAXI-2 has been taken into account resulting in the elimination of the subscale Trait Temperament due to redundancy with Trait Anger Expression-Out and for economic reasons. Other than that, the structure has remained the same. In addition, strict measurement invariance was established based on multi-group CFA for both the State and the Trait scales across gender and age groups, which has not been investigated for STAXI-2 versions to date.

The first Swedish adaptations of the Novaco Anger Scale-1998 (R. W. Novaco, personal communication, April 11, 2001), the Provocation Inventory, (R. W. Novaco, personal communication, April 11, 2001) and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (Spielberger, 1999) (named as NAS-1998-S, PI-S and STAXI-2-S respectively), were performed in this study. A sample of undergraduate males (N=100) from Stockholm University completed the adaptations. Investigations of factor structures, relationships between scales, reliability, and construct validity of the adaptations were performed and the results were related to previous studies. The hypothesised factor structures were found for NAS-1998-S and PI-S; for STAXI-2-S a modified three-factor solution emerged. The adaptations had appropriate levels of reliability. The obtained model of construct validity revealed substantial similarity to Spielberger's (1999) multidimensional anger model.

We investigated relationships between temperament, character, and anger experience, control, and expression. Police trainees (N = 103) completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (Cloninger, Przybeck, Svrakic, & Wetzel, 1994), the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCR-90-R; Derogatis, 1994), and the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2, Spielberger, 1999). Personality scores were of greater significance compared to SCL-90-R scores for most of the STAXI-2 subscales while the scores of both personality and mental health contributed by a similar amount to trait anger. Temperament subscales explained a much greater amount of anger expression-in variance while variance of character subscales explained more of the variance in anger V, angry reaction, state, and trait anger. Character was found to be superior to temperament in the determination of anger, supporting a cognitively focused definition of anger.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, mortality from suicide being approximately 2%. Attempted suicide appears to be a major risk factor for suicide completion. Anger, aggression and impulsivity are personality traits associated with suicide attempt. We analysed anger, impulsivity and temperament/character scales as predictors of aggression and self-aggression in suicide attempters and compared this to anger- and aggression-related traits between impulsive and premeditated suicide attempts as well as between violent and non-violent suicide methods.The State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), the Questionnaire for Measuring Factors of Aggression (FAF), and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were assessed.Higher aggression scores, as measured by FAF, were predicted by being male, meeting criteria for borderline personality disorder and having higher angry temperament scores as assessed by STAXI. TCI dimensions associated with self-aggression were high harm avoidance, high impulsivity and low selfdirectedness.State anger, inwardly directed anger and inhibition of aggression were also predictors of self-aggression.In conclusion, impulsivity and harm avoidance have emerged as temperament dimensions independently associated with self-aggressive tendencies in personality. Such interactions could explain the correlation between temperament and suicidality but further research is needed. Anger and selfdirectedness appear to have some effects on suicide attempt.

In Primary Aldosteronism (PAL) excessive amounts of aldosterone cause sodium and water retention and, in many individuals, this leads to moderate to severely high blood pressure. Although the chemistry and physiology are increasingly well understood, including the outcomes of treatment on physical health, there has been no systematic study of the psychological dimension of PAL. Anecdotally, patients exhibit symptoms such as angry outbursts, irritability, anxiety and defensiveness, and partners of these patients sometimes mention poor anger control and brittle or unpredictable moods. This thesis reports a systematic study of anger and anxiety among patients undergoing treatment for PAL. Eighty-three patients were recruited over an 11-month period to a prospective, pre-post design study to determine if treatment was associated with change in psychological state. Participants completed the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) questionnaires. Adrenal Vein Sampling confirmed overproduction of aldosterone in one or both adrenal glands. Patients with Aldosterone Producing Adenoma (APA) were offered adrenalectomy. As per usual treatment protocols, patients with Bilateral Adrenal Hyperplasia (BAH) were prescribed spironolactone or amiloride depending predominantly on severity of blood pressure and potassium levels. Post-test questionnaires were completed after 6-8 months. Analysis was by mixed design (between-within subjects) ANOVA. Participant numbers in the adrenalectomy group fell far short of expectations. Fourteen past patients who had undergone unilateral adrenalectomy completed a retrospective semi-structured questionnaire. This qualitative data was analysed to identify themes similar to quantitative data. At baseline, 'non-completers' (ie those who did not complete the post-test; n=19), were significantly more angry than 'completers' (n=50) in State Anger (p< .01), Trait Anger (p< .05) and Anger Expression Index (p< .001). Trait Anxiety was also higher (p< .05), as was Psychological Distress (p< .05). Among those who participated at both interviews, there was small but statistically significant adverse treatment effect with higher scores for State Anger (p< .05), and Feeling Angry (p< .05). However for Trait Anger (p< .01), and 2 of its 3 sub-scales Angry Temperament (p< .05) and Angry Reaction (p< .01) there was a slight to moderate decrease in negative affect with treatment. Psychological Distress scores also improved (p< .05). Across all ANOVAs, there were no significant interaction effects, suggesting that any treatment effect was equivalent for the two drugs. Qualitatively collected data elucidated participants' changes in approach to life and relationships since adrenalectomy. Themes that emerged in the data included improved ability to cope with external stress, better control of emotions, more relaxed relationships and attitude to work, and a greater vitality and quality of life. Generally the comments were consistent with the drug treatments; there was noticeable benefit, including perceived better anger control and less anxiety. Positive psychological effects of treatment observed in the two drug groups were triangulated with data from a qualitative study. The combined evidence suggests that when excess circulating aldosterone is reduced (adrenalectomy), or blocked (spironolactone), or aldosterone's salt and water retaining effects are minimised (amiloride), then nervous irritability and its subsequent psycho-behavioural manifestations are reduced. The effect however is slight and the conclusions are weakened by an apparent attrition bias, and the absence of a control group. Implications for further research are discussed.

In Primary Aldosteronism (PAL) excessive amounts of aldosterone cause sodium and water retention and, in many individuals, this leads to moderate to severely high blood pressure. Although the chemistry and physiology are increasingly well understood, including the outcomes of treatment on physical health, there has been no systematic study of the psychological dimension of PAL. Anecdotally, patients exhibit symptoms such as angry outbursts, irritability, anxiety and defensiveness, and partners of these patients sometimes mention poor anger control and brittle or unpredictable moods. This thesis reports a systematic study of anger and anxiety among patients undergoing treatment for PAL. Eighty-three patients were recruited over an 11-month period to a prospective, pre-post design study to determine if treatment was associated with change in psychological state. Participants completed the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) questionnaires. Adrenal Vein Sampling confirmed overproduction of aldosterone in one or both adrenal glands. Patients with Aldosterone Producing Adenoma (APA) were offered adrenalectomy. As per usual treatment protocols, patients with Bilateral Adrenal Hyperplasia (BAH) were prescribed spironolactone or amiloride depending predominantly on severity of blood pressure and potassium levels. Post-test questionnaires were completed after 6-8 months. Analysis was by mixed design (between-within subjects) ANOVA. Participant numbers in the adrenalectomy group fell far short of expectations. Fourteen past patients who had undergone unilateral adrenalectomy completed a retrospective semi-structured questionnaire. This qualitative data was analysed to identify themes similar to quantitative data. At baseline, 'non-completers' (ie those who did not complete the post-test; n=19), were significantly more angry than 'completers' (n=50) in State Anger (p< .01), Trait Anger (p< .05) and Anger Expression Index (p< .001). Trait Anxiety was also higher (p< .05), as was Psychological Distress (p< .05). Among those who participated at both interviews, there was small but statistically significant adverse treatment effect with higher scores for State Anger (p< .05), and Feeling Angry (p< .05). However for Trait Anger (p< .01), and 2 of its 3 sub-scales Angry Temperament (p< .05) and Angry Reaction (p< .01) there was a slight to moderate decrease in negative affect with treatment. Psychological Distress scores also improved (p< .05). Across all ANOVAs, there were no significant interaction effects, suggesting that any treatment effect was equivalent for the two drugs. Qualitatively collected data elucidated participants' changes in approach to life and relationships since adrenalectomy. Themes that emerged in the data included improved ability to cope with external stress, better control of emotions, more relaxed relationships and attitude to work, and a greater vitality and quality of life. Generally the comments were consistent with the drug treatments; there was noticeable benefit, including perceived better anger control and less anxiety. Positive psychological effects of treatment observed in the two drug groups were triangulated with data from a qualitative study. The combined evidence suggests that when excess circulating aldosterone is reduced (adrenalectomy), or blocked (spironolactone), or aldosterone's salt and water retaining effects are minimised (amiloride), then nervous irritability and its subsequent psycho-behavioural manifestations are reduced. The effect however is slight and the conclusions are weakened by an apparent attrition bias, and the absence of a control group. Implications for further research are discussed.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Methamphetamine is a potent stimulant with high abuse potential and is the second most widely used illicit drug in the world, after cannabis. The prevalence of methamphetamine use in Australia is among the highest in the world with an estimated 1.1 million people (6% of those aged 14 years and over) reporting lifetime use. Nearly all users of methamphetamine experience withdrawal and aggression is a common sequela. Methamphetamine use is a risk factor for a wide range of negative consequences including physical, neurological and psychiatric illness, property crime and violence. The relationship between methamphetamine use, anger and violence is complex and moderated by a range of individual, social and environmental factors. Treatment for methamphetamine use may be hindered by a propensity for anger in patients. This study utilises data from a randomised controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy for methamphetamine users to: (1) assess the reliability and validity of a measure of anger (the STAXI-2) in an Australian clinical sample of methamphetamine users; and (2) test the hypothesis that trait anger is prognostic of methamphetamine treatment outcome. A high level of internal consistency and factor analysis established the reliability and validity of the scale in this population group. A series of multivariate statistical models was developed to test whether trait anger upon entry to treatment is prognostic of treatment outcome. Contrary to the hypothesis, patients high in trait anger at baseline did no worse in treatment than patients with low trait anger; that is, trait anger did not modify the effect of treatment. These findings show that the STAXI-2 is a valid measure of anger in this population group and that high levels of trait anger should not be considered a barrier to the delivery of effective treatment to patients with methamphetamine use disorders.

1. DESCRIPCIÓN DE OBJETIVOS Objetivo general: Exponer la flexibilidad en el proceso terapéutico de trastorno por uso de sustancias en una persona con trastorno bipolar tipo II. Objetivos específicos: ● Establecer pautas conductuales en función de la fase del trastorno bipolar tipo I en la que se encuentre, para minimizar el abandono de objetivos. ● Plantear el uso de sustancias –cocaína y cannabis- como aliviadores del malestar en cada una de las fases. ● Evaluar cogniciones y emociones que presenta la persona acerca de la influencia de patología dual. 2. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS ● Entrevista clínica. ● Entrevista motivacional. ● Autoinformes aportados por el paciente. ● BDI II (para descartar sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa antes diagnosticada). ● STAXI II (para descartar sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa antes diagnosticada). 3. RESULTADOS Y CONCLUSIONES Resultados: ● El paciente responde al tratamiento, mejorando su evolución, cuando comprende a identificar los signos característicos de cada una de fases del trastorno bipolar tipo I. ● Se muestra una respuesta positiva de adherencia al tratamiento al llevar una dinámica estructurada a nivel conductual como medida de protección a los diferentes estados emocionales asociados a cada fase. Conclusiones: ● El riesgo de recaída en personas con Patología Dual se reduce mediante la adquisición de habilidades de gestión emocional, así como conductual. ● La realización de técnicas específicas en los diferentes estados del trastorno bipolar influye favorablemente en la consecución de los objetivos terapéuticos establecidos