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Translational Behavioral Medicine
Published in: Translational Behavioral Medicine 4/2012

01-12-2012 | Original Research

Impact of Williams LifeSkills® training on anger, anxiety, and ambulatory blood pressure in adolescents

Authors: Vernon A Barnes, PhD, Maribeth H Johnson, MS, Redford B Williams, MD, Virginia P Williams, PhD

Published in: Translational Behavioral Medicine | Issue 4/2012

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ABSTRACT

The Williams LifeSkills® (WLS) anger and stress management workshop provides training in strategies to cope with stressful situations and build supportive relationships. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of school-based Williams LifeSkills training on anger, anxiety, and blood pressure in adolescents. One hundred fifty-nine adolescents (mean age ± SD = 15.7 ± 1.4 years) were randomized to WLS (n = 86) or control (CTL, n = 73) groups. The WLS group engaged in twelve 50-min WLS training sessions conducted by teachers at school. Anger-in and anxiety scores decreased and anger-control scores increased in the WLS group across the six-month follow-up period compared to the CTL group (group x visit, ps < 0.05). Daytime diastolic BP was lower across the follow-up in the WLS group (p = 0.08). DBP was significantly lower across the follow-up period in the WLS group among those with higher SBP at baseline (p = 0.04). These findings demonstrate beneficial impact of WLS upon self-reported anger-in, anger control, anxiety levels, and ambulatory DBP in the natural environment in healthy normotensive youth.
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Metadata
Title
Impact of Williams LifeSkills® training on anger, anxiety, and ambulatory blood pressure in adolescents
Authors
Vernon A Barnes, PhD
Maribeth H Johnson, MS
Redford B Williams, MD
Virginia P Williams, PhD
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Translational Behavioral Medicine / Issue 4/2012
Print ISSN: 1869-6716
Electronic ISSN: 1613-9860
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-012-0162-3

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