Anger Management Scale

Do you blow your top a little too easily? Take this test to find out if you struggle with 'anger management.'

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | June 07, 2024

Anger management problems refer to the difficulty individuals face in managing their anger—leading to excessive, intense or misdirected anger that can harm relationships, work and overall well-being. This can manifest as verbal or physical aggression, passive-aggressive behavior or even self-destructive tendencies. Unchecked anger can have serious consequences, affecting not only personal relationships but also mental and physical health.

Given that uncontrolled anger can lead to excessive conflicts, damaged relationships and even escalate to violence, the importance of addressing anger issues cannot be overstated. Anger management is an essential skill, and is necessary for preserving relationships, achieving personal growth and maintaining a good quality of life.

The Anger Management Scale (AMS) is a valuable tool in assessing and addressing anger management problems. By measuring tendencies to escalate situations and place blame on others, as well as self-awareness and coping strategies, the AMS serves to quantify individuals' anger management abilities. With this scale, individuals can grasp where their unresolved anger appears most often in their lives, and in turn, take the necessary steps to control it.

You can take this test here. Follow all of the steps to receive your results.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. When arguing with my partner, I often raise my voice.

2. When my partner picks a fight with me, I fight back.

3. If I keep thinking about what made me mad, I get angrier.

4. My partner likes to make me mad.

5. When my partner is nice to me, I wonder what my partner wants.

6. My partner is rude to me unless I insist on respect.

7. I recognize when I am beginning to get angry at my partner.

8. I can usually tell when I am about to lose my temper at my partner.

9. When I feel myself starting to get angry at my partner, I try to stick to talking about the problem.

10. I take time out as a way to control my anger at my partner.

11. Taking a break from my partner is a good way for me to keep calm.

12. I often think of something pleasant to keep me from thinking about my anger at my partner.

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores to people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.

References: Stith, S. M. & Hamby, S. L. (2002). The Anger Management Scale: Development and preliminary psychometric properties. Violence and Victims, 17(4), 383–402. DOI: 10.1891/vivi.17.4.383.33683