RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANGER AND DEPRESSION AMONG STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: This study investigated the relationship between anger and depression among secondary school students and evaluated the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MB-CBT) in reducing these symptoms in Nakuru County, Kenya.
Problem Statement: Trait anger significantly predicts depression among adolescents, yet few interventions explicitly target anger management as a pathway to reducing depression. School-based programs addressing emotional well-being often neglect anger as a core component influencing depressive outcomes.
Methodology: This quasi-experimental study involved 100 secondary school students (50 experimental, 50 control) selected from two schools in Nakuru County. Participants were screened using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The experimental group received 10-week MB-CBT intervention while the control group received therapy-as-usual. Assessments were conducted at baseline, midline (3 months), and end-line (6 months). Data were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation, Mann-Whitney U test, and Friedman's test with significance set at p < .05.
Results: At baseline, trait anger correlated significantly with depression in both experimental (r = .374, p = .007) and control (r = .423, p = .010) groups, while state anger showed no significant correlation. Following MB-CBT intervention, the experimental group showed significant reductions in state anger (M = 33.74 to 17.98), trait anger (M = 24.90 to 12.80), and depression (M = 24.40 to 7.24). Post-intervention correlations between trait anger and depression became non-significant (r = .028, p = .847 at midline; r = .002, p = .992 at end-line).
Conclusion: Trait anger is significantly associated with depression among adolescents, with persistent anger patterns predicting depressive symptoms more than situational anger. MB-CBT effectively reduces both anger and depressive symptoms, supporting its use in school-based mental health interventions targeting emotional dysregulation.
Recommendation: Schools should integrate structured emotional regulation programs like MB-CBT into guidance and counseling services, and implement early screening for trait anger to identify at-risk students for timely intervention.
Keywords: Anger, Depression, Among Students, Public Secondary Schools
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