The Relation of Anger and Anger Expression to Menstrual Symptoms and Psychosomatic Symptoms in Female Undergraduate Students

Park, Young-Joo; Chang, Sung Ok; Han, Kuem Sun; Choi, Myung Sook; Yoon, Ji-Won; Chun, Sook Hee; Moon, Sohyun

doi:2007.16.2.131

J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs > Volume 16(2); 2007 > Article

Original Article

Journal of Korean Academy of psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2007;16(2):131-138.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2007.16.2.131 Published online June 30, 2007.

The Relation of Anger and Anger Expression to Menstrual Symptoms and Psychosomatic Symptoms in Female Undergraduate Students

Young-Joo Park¹, Sung Ok Chang¹, Kuem Sun Han^2,3, Myung Sook Choi³, Ji-Won Yoon⁴, Sook Hee Chun⁵, Sohyun Moon⁵

¹Professor, College of Nursing, Korea University
²Associate Professor, College of Nursing, Korea University
³Professor, Department of Nursing, Seoil College
⁴Research Professor, College of Nursing Korea University
⁵Lecturer, Department of Nursing, DongSin University

여대생의 분노, 분노표현에 따른 월경증상과 정신신체증상

박영주¹, 장성옥¹, 한금선^2,3, 최명숙³, 윤지원⁴, 천숙희⁵, 문소현⁵

¹고려대학교 간호대학 교수
²고려대학교 간호대학 부교수
³서일대학 간호과 교수
⁴고려대학교 간호대학 강사
⁵동신대학교 간호과 전임강사

Correspondence: Kuem Sun Han, Tel: 82-2-3290-4919, Fax: 82-2-927-4676,
Email: hksun@korea. ac.kr

Received: 20 October 2006 • Accepted: 7 April 2007

Abstract

Purpose
This descriptive correlational study was designed to investigate the relation of trait anger and anger expression to menstrual symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms in female undergraduate students, and to examine anger expression (anger-in, anger-out, and anger-control) as a moderator in the association between trait anger and outcome variables.
Methods
One hundred and seventy-seven female undergraduate students were conveniently sampled from K University and S College located in Seoul, Korea. The instruments were Spielberger's state-trait anger expression inventory - Korean version, Chesney & Tasto's menstrual symptoms questionnaire, and Kim*s personality factor scale for psychosomatic symptoms of adolescence.
Results
The severity level of menstrual symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms were higher in the female undergraduate students with relatively high trait anger score. There was a significant interaction between trait anger and anger-in with psychosomatic symptoms. Female undergraduate students were categorized with 'anger-in/out type 5 , ‘low anger expression type’, and 'anger-control type’ by cluster analysis. The anger- in/out type complained more psychosomatic symptoms than the other two types.
Conclusions
The finding suggests that trait anger is an independent risk factor for menstrual symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms and anger-in has a moderating effect in the association between trait anger and psychosomatic symptoms.

Key Words: Trait anger; Anger expression; Menstrual symptoms; Psychosomatic symptoms