suspicious-mistrustful attitudinal outlook dimension. Siegel (1986) pointed to these findings as evidence for ‘con-
ceptualizing anger as a multidimensional construct.’ (p.198). However, doubts remain as to the factor structure of
the MAI, and in addition, Eckhardt, Norlander, and Deffenbacher (2004) warned that, ‘given the weak psycho-
metric support for the anger expression items, it does not appear that the MAI offers an unambiguous assessment
of anger expression style’ (p. 28). Another caveat is that the relevance of MAI hypothetical anger provocations to
violent offenders may be questionable. This, as we shall see is a recurring theme in examining the utility of mea-
sures of anger when it comes to predicting criminal violence.
MAI SAMPLE ITEMS
Scale Example item
Frequency ‘Something makes me angry almost every day’
Duration ‘When I get angry, I stay angry for hours’
Magnitude ‘I often feel angrier than I think I should’
Hostile Outlook ‘Some of my friends have habits that annoy me very much’
Anger-in ‘I harbor grudges that I don’t tell anyone about’
Anger-Out ‘When I’m angry with someone, I let that person know’
Range of Anger-Eliciting Situations ‘I get angry when something blocks my plans’
Note. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from: ‘Completely undescriptive’ to ‘Completely
descriptive’.
State/C0Trait Anger Expression Inventory /C02nd Edition (STAXI-2)
(Spielberger, 1988, 1991, 1999 ).
Variable
The distinction between trait and state constructs has been promoted especially by Spielberger’s construction
of various state /C0trait scales/measures. The anger construct can also be viewed in terms of state and trait aspects.
However, as pointed out in Chapter 8 on Measures of Affect Dimensions by Boyle, Helmes, Matthews and Izard,
there are indeed many possible forms of affect constructs ranging all the way from transient/fleeting emotional
states, through longer lasting mood states, through motivational dynamic traits, to relatively stable enduring per-
sonality traits. While dichotomous state and trait constructs may be useful in some circumstances, there are actu-
ally many different forms of anger affect that lie somewhere on the continuum in-between these two polar
extremes that also require measurement (e.g., see Chapter 8; Davey & Day, 2007 ;Fernandez, 2008 ;Fernandez &
Kerns, 2008 ).
Description
The STAXI-2 ( Spielberger, 1999 ) which is purported to measure the experience, expression, and control of
anger, consists of 57 items, 6 scales, 5 subscales, and an Anger Expression Index (total anger expression)
(cf.Spielberger & Reheiser, 2009 ). The State Anger scale (15 items) measures anger intensity as a momentary
emotional state, while the Trait Anger scale (10 items) measures the disposition to experience angry feelings as a
personality-like trait over lengthy time periods (i.e., the individual’s disposition to become angry or angry tem-
perament). The Anger Expression scale (16 items) and the Anger Control scale (16 items) measure four anger-
related trait dimensions. As Vagg and Spielberger (2000) in their Interpretive Report (STAXI-2: IR t) indicated,
the Anger Expression-In scale measures the extent to which an individual ‘holds things in’ or suppresses anger,
whereas the Anger Expression-Out scale measures the actual expression of aggression. Concomitantly, the Anger
Control-In scale measures the extent to which an individual controls the expression of anger through attempts at
relaxation and ‘calming down’, whereas the Anger Control-Out scale measures the extent to which an individual
actively monitors and limits the overt expression of anger. As stated on the Mingarden website (see link below),
‘Scales include: State Anger, Trait Anger, Anger Expression-Out, Anger Expression-In, Anger Control-Out, Anger89 MEASURES REVIEWED IN DETAIL
II. EMOTIONAL DISPOSITIONS