Strategies of coping with anger as a state and a trait among female students

Abstract

Introduction . University students often encounter many difficult situations that may provoke their anger and thus make them less capable of controlling themselves and their behaviours. This will possibly hinder their growth and psychological and academic development, leading to more personal conflict and discomfort, emotional and physical abuse, increased crime, feelings of insecurity, a lack of concentration, and less social interaction. Aim . This study aims to examine coping strategies with anger as a state and trait in light of “Social status” and “Achievement level” variables. Methodology and research methods . A quantitative method was employed to analyse the data. The sample for the study consisted of 256 female students from Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU), randomly chosen. Two scales were used to collect data: 1) the anger scale as a state and as a trait, including 30 items (15 items measure anger as an emotional state that varies in its intensity, and 15 items measure anger as an emotional trait); 2) the anger coping strategies scale, containing 34 items divided into six domains to identify the different ways of individuals’ positive or negative responses to the irritating situations of anger (direct expressions of anger, emphasis, search for social support, dissipation of anger, avoidance, and tapering). Results . The results revealed statistically significant differences due to social status and achievement level, whereas there were no statistically significant differences in the coping strategies for anger due to social status. They also showed that seeking social support is the prevailing coping strategy. Scientific novelty. The study is one of the few in the Arab World that looked at the relationship between anger as a state or trait and coping strategies in a sample of female students based on their social status and level of achievement. It helps enrich the theoretical literature on anger and researchers’ and students’ knowledge by clarifying the relationship of the discussed variables with each other. Practical significance . The practical significance of the study can be observed in two aspects. First, the research findings can draw the attention of educational officials by highlighting the relationships between anger as a state and anger as a trait, as well as the coping strategies employed by female students. This knowledge can lead to developing programmes to reduce anger among female students. Second, the study can contribute to developing coping methods that positively impact the social and academic adaptation of female students.