Abstract

The purpose of this study was to cluster the anger expression style and emotional clarity and identify differences in the degree of depression and aggression between the cluster. A self-report system survey was conducted to support this study. Respondents for this survey were 323 middle school students in Seoul and Gyeonggi region and the survey includes questions on the Depression Scale (CES-D), Aggression Scale(AQ-K), Anger Expression Scale(STAXI-K), and the Emotional Perception Clarity Scale(TMMS). A correlation analysis was first conducted to find out the relationship between depression, aggression, anger expression style, and emotional clarity. Then, a secondary clustering analysis was performed based on hair and black of survey respondents. This secondary clustering analysis was performed after standardizing the scores of anger control, anger suppression, and anger expression, emotional clarity. An ANOVA test and post hoc analysis were performed to determine the difference between depression and aggression among clusters. The main results of this study are as follows. First, both anger suppression and anger expression had a positive correlation with depression and aggression, and anger suppression had a negative correlation with emotional clarity. Depression and aggression were negatively correlated with emotional clarity, respectively. Second, the anger expression methods were divided into following five groups: Cluster 1_‘High Clarity-Low Suppression’, Cluster 2_‘High Clarity-Suppression and Regulation’, Cluster 3_‘Anger Expression’, Cluster 4_‘Low Clarity-Regulation’, Cluster 5_‘Low Clarity-Repression and Expression’. Third, the ANOVA test revealed that the Cluster 5 showed the highest depression and aggression than all other clusters and Cluster 1 showed significantly lower rate of depression and aggression than any other clusters. The significance and limitations of this study were discussed based on these findings.