FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Psychologists at the University of Arkansas say there is surprisingly little research on anger and its relation to aggression.
"We were surprised at how little is actually known about the emotion we call anger and its relation to aggression, and how much disagreement there is about the role of anger in the treatment of interpersonal violence," Timothy A. Cavell and Kenya T. Malcolm wrote in the introduction of their book, "Anger, Aggression, and Interventions for Interpersonal Violence."
Offering a "state-of-the-science" analysis of what is known about the complex relation between anger and aggression, the book aims to enhance the efforts of clinical practitioners and point the way to further research, according to Cavell.
"We are interested in how anger can distort interpersonal relationships, transforming what was once heartfelt desire into hurtful rage," say Cavell and Malcolm.
Research in recent times has generally focused on either anger or aggression; current treatments usually target one behavior or the other, says Cavell.
