ISLAMABAD: New research has found that women become better at managing their anger as they grow older, even though they may continue to experience strong feelings of anger.
The study, published in the journal Menopause, examined data from over 500 women aged between 35 and 55 who are part of the long-term Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study.
Researchers found that while “state anger” – a measure of momentary emotional response – tended to increase with age, expressions of hostility, anger reactions, and aggressive outbursts declined.
However, the tendency to suppress anger remained unchanged.
“These results suggest better emotion regulation may occur during midlife,” the research team noted in a press release.
They recommended further study into women’s anger in the context of everyday life to better inform emotional regulation and anger management strategies.
Nancy Fugate Woods, professor in the Department of Family and Child Nursing at the University of Washington and one of the study’s authors, told Newsweek that older women develop strategies that help reduce emotional reactivity.
This includes cognitive reappraisal – the ability to reinterpret situations from different perspectives.
Although previous research has focused on depression and sadness during perimenopause and early postmenopause, anger has been less studied.
One reason, researchers said, may be that women are often socially discouraged from expressing anger, which can lead to rejection or criticism.
The findings suggest that while older women may feel anger more intensely, they are also more likely to manage and express it in a constructive manner.
“These findings are consistent with research on emotion regulation efforts during ageing, such that efforts to control anger increase along with experiences of anger,” wrote the research team, led by Woods.
The study analysed responses from 271 women who completed anger and hostility questionnaires multiple times over several years.
It revealed that as women aged, their ability to regulate their emotions improved, even if they continued to feel angry.
Researchers also suggested that this improvement could be linked to a growing sense of generativity – the desire to positively influence others and contribute to the well-being of future generations.
“Some of these changes may be seen in midlife and contribute to a sense of integration and maturity,” they wrote.
Furthermore, women may learn to use their anger more tactically, expressing it in ways that strengthen relationships rather than damage them.
Constructively expressed anger can lead to increased feelings of empowerment and self-esteem.
Dr Monica Christmas, associate medical director for The Menopause Society, who was not involved in the study, said the findings highlighted the often-overlooked mental health impacts of the menopause transition.
“The mental health side of the menopause transition can have a significant effect on a woman’s personal and professional life,” Dr Christmas said in a statement.
“It is well recognised that fluctuations in hormone levels during the postpartum period, monthly cycles, and perimenopause can result in mood swings, including anger and hostility.”
She emphasised the importance of educating women about these mood changes.
“Actively managing symptoms can have a profound effect on overall quality of life and health,” she said.
