Anger and Perceived Parenting: A Study of a Japanese Population

To assess the effects of perceived rearing during childhood on adult trait anger and anger expression, we evaluated parents of young children attending paediatric clinics (N = 1118). Participants rated their trait anger level and anger expression styles using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory and also rated the rearing patterns of their parents during childhood using the Parental Bonding Instrument. A structural equation model suggested that (1) Anger In and Anger Out were predicted by Trait Anger, while Anger Control was predicted by low Trait Anger; (2) Trait Anger was predicted by the affectionless control rearing style of participants’ fathers during childhood, but not by their mothers’ rearing styles; and (3) none of the anger expression scores were predicted directly by the perceived rearing of the participants’ parents. Results did not differ between male and female participants. Adult trait anger may be explained by people’s perception of their rearing during childhood.