Anger Issues Test
A confidential self-assessment of your anger, informed by the dimensions of the validated State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI-2). It looks at how often you feel angry, how you express it outward or hold it in, and how well you can rein it in. Get an instant, plain-language result and a professional PDF report you can keep or bring to a therapist.
Four dimensions of anger, not just a temper score
Anger is a normal, healthy emotion. The question is not whether you feel it, but how often, how intensely, how you express it, and what it costs you. This assessment looks at four dimensions the research uses to make sense of that.
How often & how hot
Your tendency to feel anger frequently and intensely, sometimes called trait anger. This is the baseline temperature, not a single bad day.
How you express it
Whether anger tends to come out toward people and things around you, or gets held inside and brooded on. Both can carry a cost.
How you control it
Your ability to recognize anger early, calm yourself down, and respond in ways you feel okay about afterward. This is the most changeable part.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Informed by the validated STAXI-2 | Rarely | Yes, four dimensions |
| Separates expression-out from expression-in | No | Yes |
| Measures anger control as a strength | No | Yes |
| Frames anger as a normal emotion | Often pathologizes | Yes |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, MD reviewed |
| Downloadable PDF report | No | Yes, branded & shareable |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
Methodology & sources
The items in this test are informed by the dimensions of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, Second Edition (STAXI-2; Spielberger, 1999), a widely used measure of anger. It distinguishes trait anger (how readily and intensely a person feels angry) from how anger is expressed, separating anger expressed outward (anger-out), anger held inside (anger-in), and anger control. Our items are an educational adaptation reworded for readability; they are not the copyrighted STAXI-2 itself and do not reproduce its proprietary items.
This is an educational screener, not a clinical instrument or a diagnostic tool. Anger is not a disorder in itself, and there is no diagnosis called anger issues. What matters is whether the frequency, intensity, expression, and consequences of your anger are causing problems for you or the people around you. The result is meant to support self-reflection and help you decide whether working with a professional could help.
- Spielberger CD. State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2): Professional Manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources; 1999.
- Spielberger CD, Reheiser EC. Assessment of emotions: anxiety, anger, depression, and curiosity. Appl Psychol Health Well-Being. 2009;1(3):271–302.
- Deffenbacher JL, Oetting ER, DiGiuseppe RA. Principles of empirically supported interventions applied to anger management. Couns Psychol. 2002;30(2):262–280.
- Lee AH, DiGiuseppe R. Anger and aggression treatments: a review of meta-analyses. Curr Opin Psychol. 2018;19:65–74.
Anger Issues Test FAQ
Are anger issues a mental-health diagnosis?
No. Anger is a normal emotion, and anger issues is not a formal diagnosis. Anger can, however, be a feature of other conditions and can cause real problems in relationships, work, and health when it is frequent, intense, poorly controlled, or harmful. This test helps you reflect on those patterns.
What counts as an anger problem?
It is less about how angry you feel and more about frequency, intensity, how you express it, and the consequences. If anger comes often, escalates fast, is hard to control, or damages your relationships, work, or wellbeing, it is worth addressing, and it is very workable.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is an educational screening for self-reflection only. It is informed by the STAXI-2 dimensions but is not that instrument, and it cannot diagnose anything. Only a licensed professional can assess what is driving anger and what would help.
Can anger be changed?
Yes. Anger control is one of the most changeable parts of emotional life. Approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy, anger management programs, and skills for recognizing triggers and calming the body have solid evidence behind them.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server, never stored, and never linked to you. No account is needed, and the optional PDF is generated on your own device.