Many Indicators of Anger Expression Decrease With Age in Women

Study found Anger Temperament, Anger Reaction, Anger Expressed Aggressively, Hostility subscales on STAXI each decreased significantly with age

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, July 10, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Aging is significantly related to anger in women, with most indicators of anger expression decreasing with age, according to a study published online July 1 in Menopause.

Nancy Fugate Woods, Ph.D., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues examined the influence of aging and reproductive aging stages on women’s reports of anger among 501 participants aged 35 to 55 years from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study population-based cohort. Participants completed the State-Trait Anger Inventory (STAXI; (State Anger, Trait Anger, Anger Temperament, Anger Reaction, Anger-in, and Anger Control subscales) and the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) Hostility scale on up to five occasions during the study.

The researchers found a significant relation for age with most anger measures, with increases in State and Trait Anger and Anger Control with age. Significant decreases were seen in Anger Temperament, Anger Reaction, Anger Expressed Aggressively, and Hostility with age. There was no relation for Anger Suppressed with age. When accounting for the effects of age, Reproductive Aging Stages significantly affected State and Trait Anger and Anger Temperament; after the late reproductive stages, each decreased with women’s progression through further reproductive aging stages.

“Educating women about the possibility of mood changes during these vulnerable windows and actively managing symptoms can have a profound effect on overall quality of life and health,” Monica Christmas, M.D., associate medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a statement.