AARS

Adolescent Anger
Rating Scale
27011711-004
Ume Habiba
  The Adolescent Anger Rating Scale (AARS) is a 41-item inventory
designed to assess the intensity and frequency of anger
expression in adolescents
 The scale includes a series of questions related to anger triggers
and reactions.
Introduction  It is a well-established tool used by mental health professionals to
identify teens who may be struggling with anger management.
 The AARS asks adolescents to indicate how often they experience
certain thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to anger on a 4-
point scale. The scale typically ranges from "Hardly Ever" to "Very
Often".
  In addition to overall anger levels, the AARS can also provide
information about an adolescent's ability to control their anger.
This can be helpful in identifying teens who may be at risk for
developing behavior problems.

 Here are some additional details about the AARS:

Cont.. Age Range: 11-19 years old

Administration Time: 5-10 minutes for individuals; 10-20 minutes
for groups
Scoring: Hand-scored
Validity: The AARS has been shown to be a reliable and valid
measure of anger in adolescents.
 The Adolescent Anger Rating Scale (AARS) divides its 41 items into
three subscales to capture different aspects of anger in adolescents:

Subscales
INSTRUMENTAL
REACTIVE ANGER ANGER CONTROL
ANGER
  It has 20 items.
 This subscale focuses on behaviors where anger is used as a tool to
achieve a goal.
 Instrumental anger refers to a form of anger that is purposefully
used as a means to achieve a specific goal or outcome.
Instrumental  Individuals may deliberately express anger or use it as a tool to
Anger manipulate a situation, influence others, or achieve personal
objectives.
 Examples of items might include:
I threaten people to get my way.
I argue with people to get what I want.
  It has 8 items.
 Immediate angry reaction to a perceived negative, threatening, or
fearful event.
 Reactive anger typically occurs as an immediate reaction to a
specific trigger or stimulus.
 It often involves an involuntary physiological response, such as
increased heart rate, adrenaline release, and heightened arousal.
Reactive Anger  This subscale assesses how often an adolescent experiences
immediate and emotional anger outbursts.
 Examples of items might include:

I yell and scream when I'm angry.

I hit things when I'm angry.
  It has 13 items
 This subscale measures an adolescent's ability to manage their
anger and avoid outbursts.

Anger Control  Examples of items might include:

I count to ten before I react when I'm angry.

I try to calm myself down before I say anything.
I walk away from a situation when I'm getting angry
 1. Review the response sheet for omitted items. If an item is left blank, a
score of 0 should NOT be given. A formula for prorating subscale scores is
provided at the bottom of this page.

2. Transcribe each circled item response value to the white box in the
appropriate subscale column to the right of the itemn.

Scoring 3. Sum the item responses in each subscale column on page 1 and enter the

Procedure sum in the space provided at the bottom of each column.

4. Transfer these Page 1 subtotals to the spaces provided on page 2.

5. Sum the item responses in each subscale column on page 2 and enter the
sum in space provided at the bottom of each column.

6. Sum the Page 1 and Page 2 subtotals for each subscale and enter the sum
in the space provided for the subscale raw score.
 7. Transfer each subscale raw score to the spaces provided in both the
Scoring/Interpretation Box and the formula to obtain the Total Anger raw
score. Compute the Total Anger raw score and transfer that number to the
space provided in the Scoring/Interpretation box.

8. Place an X in the box for the appropriate Normative compariso group.

Then locate the T score and percentile conversion table for that normative
Cont.. group in Appendix A of the Professional Manual and transfer the T score and
percentile for each scale/subscale raw score to the appropriate space in the
Scoring/Interpretation Box.

9. Finally, transfer the Suggested Interpretation for each scale/subscale T

score to the Scoring/interpretation Box.

10. Using Xs, plot each scale/subscale T score on the AARS Profile Graph.
Then connect the Xs.
Sample
Interpretation
  The following formula may be used for prorating a subscale raw
score if at least 80% of the subscale items are completed. In cases
where more than 20% of the items in a subscale are left blank, raw
Prorating scores for that subscale should not be computed for
interpretation.
Subscale Raw  Such cases, both that subscale score and the Total Anger score are
Scores considered Invalid.

 Prorated Subscale raw score =

(Obtained raw score x Number of items on the subscale)/ No of
items completed
 Clinical Assessment:
 In clinical psychology, the AARS is used by mental health
professionals to assess anger levels and related issues in adolescents.
 The items are consistent with behaviors identified in the DSM-IV.
Elevated AARS scores may help to identify adolescents who are at
Application & risk for diagnoses of Conduct Disorder (CD), Oppositional Defiant
Disorder (ODD), or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Uses  The goal of any anger intervention program is to help the adolescent
manage his or her anger. Practitioners using the AARS will be able to
select the most appropriate intervention program for the specific
type(s) of anger the adolescent typically experiences.
 Statistical analyses support the use of the AARS in both clinical and
research applications. Therapists who employ anger control training
may find the AARS a useful measure of behavior change.
 Treatment Planning:
The AARS can inform treatment planning by identifying specific
anger-related issues that need to be addressed in therapy
Research Studies:
The AARS is also used in research studies exploring various aspects of
adolescent anger. Researchers may use the scale to investigate the
relationship between anger and other psychological constructs, such
Cont.. as depression, anxiety, or aggression, as well as to explore potential
risk factors or protective factors associated with adolescent anger.
School-based Interventions:
In educational settings, the AARS can be used to assess anger issues
among students and inform the development of school-based
interventions aimed at promoting positive emotional regulation and
reducing aggressive behavior. School counselors or psychologists
may use the scale to identify students who may benefit from targeted
interventions or support services.