Storied Lessons: Learning From Anger In Childhood By Narrating

We evaluated whether narrating anger-provoking events promoted learning from those events, as compared with other responses to anger, and whether the effectiveness of narrative depended on age. In addition, we tested relations between anger reduction and learning and, in a subset of participants, between narrative quality and learning. A sample of 248 young people (eight to 17 years old) recalled an anger-provoking experience and were randomly assigned to one of four activities: recalling the event a second time; narrating the event; and distraction (via video game play or conversation). The young people then recalled the event one last time, and rated the extent to which they had learned from that event. Younger children reported more learning when they had narrated their experience. Youths reported more learning when they had narrated the event more frequently prior to participation. Stronger reductions in anger following regulation were associated with greater self-reported learning. Finally, more elaborative and less resolved narratives were associated with greater self-reported learning.