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Activities for Managing Youth Anger

Young people often struggle with managing their anger. Some of this is because of the heightened emotions of adolescence. Everything matters intensely and the young person will lack the life experience to realize that many things pass, that what seems so hugely important at the moment will not matter at all in time. A young person may also have had poor role models when it comes to dealing with anger. She may have witnessed violence and extreme anger. This may lead to poor anger management skills.

  1. Discussion

    • The issue of anger management should be discussed in a supportive environment. Some young people express anger inappropriately. Some do not express it, becoming passive-aggressive. This can be equally damaging. Discussion should focus on the fact that anger is normal, and that many positive changes have occurred because somebody became angry. However, the discussion should also focus on the negative effects of anger poorly expressed.

    Using Examples

    • Many young people are avid followers of particular soap operas. Draw a diagram depicting the range of anger, from passive-aggressive to violent. Ask the young people to rate particular soap characters in the scale. Use this to lead into a discussion on how the soap character dealt with a particular situation. Discuss how effective this strategy was, what the consequences were and whether alternative methods would have been better.

    Role Play

    • Ask the group of young people to make a list of things that make them angry. This can be a collaborative effort. Now ask small groups to devise a scenario involving one of these triggers. Get the young people to act out a poor way of dealing with the scenario. Discuss this with the group. Then ask them to act out a more effective conclusion to the situation.

    Coping Strategies

    • Teach the young people alternative ways of dealing with feelings of anger. Consider yoga lessons and relaxation techniques, which can help develop lifelong coping methods. Discuss the benefits of vigorous exercise with the young people. Explain how the body releases calming natural hormones following exercise, and how this can provide a safe way of expending tension and frustration.

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