AMPs focus on those with aggressive behaviour that needs to be controlled.
Anger is considered a normal, healthy response, but if it develops into a rage that takes a person over it is not healthy and puts a strain on the body. It can trigger angry outbursts which may lead to harming someone else.
In general AMPs use strategies like identifying what triggers anger and learning to control those triggers.
There are three main stages to any AMP:
- Cognitive preparation – group members are helped to recognise their anger patterns and so identify situations that trigger aggressive behaviour
- Skill acquisition – individuals learn behavioural and cognitive coping strategies such as relaxation which will help them control their feelings of anger and replace these emotions with acceptable responses
- Application and practice – individuals try out the skills in role plays and are positively reinforced for appropriate, non-aggressive responses
CALM – Controlling Anger & Learning to Manage – is an example of an AMP. It is a group programme which teaches new skills to manage anger and other emotions. It can be ordered by a court as part of a sentence or be a condition of prison licence.
It typically consists of 24 2 hour session taking place two times a week and is run by a trained practitioner who is likely to be a forensic psychologist. There are group sessions, like a check in where people describe how they are doing, and talk about feelings. The sessions always end with positive thoughts. They use personal assignments, modelling, role-play and both self/peer evaluation.
These sessions are practical, highly structured and sequential. They are designed for delivery to groups of adolescent and adult males at risk for inappropriate behaviour and, in many cases, criminal recidivism.