Development and validation of the Anger Meta-Awareness Scale (AMAS): psychometric evaluation and theoretical application

Anger is a common and often maladaptive emotional response that can escalate into aggression if left unmanaged. However, little is known about the metacognitive processes that guide how individuals recognise, regulate, and evaluate their anger experiences. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Anger Meta-Awareness Scale (AMAS). It also investigated the unique associations that specific facets of metacognitive awareness have with anger-related processes and outcomes. The scale was constructed and validated using two independent samples of Australian adults ( N = 292 [ M age = 51.5 years, females = 56.8%] and 304 [ M age = 51.9 years, females = 60.2%]) who completed distinct online surveys. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses across the samples supported a four-factor AMAS structure (TLI = 0.907, CFI = 0.920, RMSEA = 0.079, SRMR = 0.068), capturing metacognitive knowledge, planning, regulation, and evaluation relative to anger. A higher-order factor also emerged, representing general metacognitive awareness of anger. Correlational analyses provided evidence of convergent and nomological validity, with the AMAS sharing positive relationships with general metacognitive awareness and self-control, but negative relationships with difficulties in emotion regulation, anger rumination, anger experiences, and aggression. Path analysis revealed that metacognitive regulation had the strongest association with anger-related outcomes, whereas knowledge, planning, and evaluation may better function as supportive self-regulatory processes. Notably, metacognitive knowledge was positively associated with anger rumination directly but negatively associated with it indirectly through planning and regulation. Overall, the AMAS appears to demonstrate promising initial psychometric properties that could facilitate research investigating self-regulatory mechanisms underlying anger and its behavioural expression.