The Effect of “Anger Management Peer Education” Applied to University Students on Training Anger and Anger Expression Style

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the trait anger levels and anger expression styles of university students who participated in the ‘Anger Management Peer Education Programme’. Method: Third year students of Selçuk University Faculty of Nursing were included in the study. The study was conducted with a total of 60 students, 30 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group. A 6-session ‘Anger Management Peer Education’ programme was applied to the intervention group, while no intervention was applied to the control group. Sample size was calculated using G*Power 3.1.9.2 program. The sample size was determined as 60 students with an effect size of 0.8, statistical power of 80%, and a 5% margin of error. Inclusion criteria were students who scored 20 or above on the trait anger scale. Exclusion criteria were having a psychiatric diagnosis or missing at least two training sessions. Results: The programme significantly reduced trait anger levels and positively affected anger expression styles. Conclusion: The literature review shows that there is a limited number of studies on anger in university students. Peer-based anger management programmes are particularly lacking. It is believed that the peer education model should be applied more widely for university students on anger-related issues. It is also recommended to conduct more comprehensive research. Given that anger is a natural and sometimes necessary emotion, increasing peer education programmes may help students use anger constructively and prevent negative outcomes associated with poor anger management.