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High Anger Expression is Associated with Reduced Cortisol Awakening Response and Health Complaints in Healthy Young Adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2016

Ángel Romero-Martínez  and
Luis Moya-Albiol
Ángel Romero-Martínez*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
Luis Moya-Albiol
Affiliation:
Universidad de Valencia (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ángel Romero-Martínez. Universidad de Valencia (Spain). E-mail: Angel.Romero@uv.es
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Abstract

The extant evidence suggests a robust positive association between expression (anger expression-out) and suppression (anger expression-in) of anger and compromised health. Nevertheless, the underlying psychobiological mechanisms which explain these relationships are not well understood. This study examined whether anger expression would predict general health, cortisol awakening response (CAR) and evening cortisol levels in a community sample of 156 healthy young adults of both genders. Participants were distributed into two groups according to their anger expression scores: high and low anger expression (HAE and LAE, respectively). Findings indicated that those with HAE had worse self-reported health (p = .02) and higher CAR than the LAE group (p = .04). Moreover, high levels of anger expression-out (p < .01) and -in (p < .01, for all) predicted a worse self-reported health in both groups. On the other hand, high anger expression-out was associated with flattened CAR but only in the HAE group (p < .01). This study reinforces the need to develop effective strategies to provide mechanisms to regulate anger expression by promoting personal growth and positive skills that enhance individuals’ well-being and quality of life and, in turn, their own health.

Keywords

anger expression-inanger expression-outcortisol awakening responsehealth
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 19 , 2016 , E19
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2016 

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