The world is not a living place only designed for people who can see, hear, think and physically and mentally healthy. The main difficulty for disabled people is viewpoints of society rather than their obstacles. Depending on the structure and type of disability, even if the effects of disability on life quality change, when we adjust  our  life  fields  to  everybody,  even  it  will be not necessary to use the concept disabled.

In the report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2011, the disability situation was defined as negative situations occurred when individuals (negative attitudes, non-reachable transport and public buildings, limited social support, etc.) interacted with personal and environmental factors. At the same report, it was informed that people more than 1 billion as being equivalent to almost 15 percentage of the world population experienced any disability type. About disabled children UNICEF (2013) declared that approximately 93 millions of children, that is, one out of every 20 children aged 14 or below had any type of disability at a medium and advanced level, one society would be never equal when all children were not included, disabled children would not be included when healthy data collection and analysis did not make them visible. Instead of structural, environmental arrangements and legal changes, it will be possible to sweep obstacles in our conscience with a small change.

In the literature, many definitions about the disabled and disability are mentioned. DoÄŸru and Saltalı (2009) stated that disability situation could be generally analyzed in the three main titles including physiological, mental and physical disability. Since individuals with hearing impairments fulfill their self-care and physiological needs, show a structure adequate for themselves in their normal lives, they are included in mild disability group. Any difference is not observed in people with hearing disability compared to normal individuals except for the hearing impairment situation. Pitetti and Yarmer (2002) said that children with hearing impairments were not so different from children who can hear in terms of physical feasibility. So individuals with hearing impairments can do many sportive activities like normal individuals. Considering the registered data until now, WHO (2011) reports that there are 600 millons of individuals with hearing impairments in the world and 2 thousand of 1 million 300 thousand babies who come to the world in Turkey each year, are born with hearing impairments. 

Lack of hearing may lead to some negative effects on children’s emotional development. The most important effect of hearing deficiency is seen in the development of language and speech, thus, in communication. Having difficulties in understanding other people’s sayings and telling demands affects in a negative way (Bee, 1992). Bolton (1986) explained that deficiencies in inter-personal relations caused many life problems such as loneliness, family problems, professional incompetency, dis-satisfaction, stress and physical diseases. If a sense of hearing does not exist, other sense organs try to replace this sense and individuals have difficulty in closing the gap.  When there is no positive discrimination, individuals have great disadvantages in interaction with the outer world. Like in other disabled groups, disabled ones with hearing try to destroy social inequality available in society via sportive activities. Hearing impaired ones do not have social and cultural opportunities at an equal level to other individuals due to their sensitive losses. One of the basic reasons for this is that they particularly and often prefer to communicate with each other, avoid from interactions with other individuals in society (Gür, 2001). This limitation in their life fields bring a communication problem to the outer world and non-disabled individuals, thus, anxiety and fear as well.

According to Turkish Language Institution (2015); anger was defined as obstructiveness, offense or aggressive reaction to threat, furiousness, relative, rage, wrath. Joy, sadness, fear and anger are regarded as four basic senses (Oatley, 2004). Kassinove and Sukhodolsky (1995) see the feeling of anger as an internal situation depending on some cognitive and perceptional distortions. In literature anger is defined as a global feeling which comes from people’s birth, develops in the first years of their lives, often occurs in children or young people’s daily lives and is given to unfulfilled desires, unwanted results and unfulfilled expectations (Avcı, 2006; Balkaya, 2006; Erkek et al., 2006; EÅŸiyok et al., 2007; Modrcin-McCarthy et al,. 1998; Özmen, 2006; Strayer and Roberts 2004). 

Anger shows how a person generally feels (Özer, 1994); Serin and Genç (2011) claimed that internal anger is the tendency to suppress opinions and emotions and external anger is the tendency to show aggressive behaviors aimed at people or object in environment.  [A1]

Starner and Peter (2004) and Lerner (2007) stated that one of the emotional expressions in teenagers is anger like in other age groups. If anger is not expressed in appropriate ways, it leads to physical, psychological and social problems in teenagers. A sense of anger which occurs in all beings in different ways and can be observed, can give damage to both source and environment when this is not taken under control. [A2]

Ä°nanç (2010) claimed that when physically disabled children cannot do many activities expected of them-selves; they do their daily life activities dependently, they become dependent on their parents, their social lives become limited and they feel incapable, have negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, loneliness. Sport has a more different importance for disabled individuals, sport represents a new window to disabled individuals who have already experienced many obstacles in their lives and lived in stress resulting from these obstacles (Özer, 2001). Anger control carries great importance in sportive activities, when physical movements are organized as planned experiences, emotions such as pleasure, share, self-expression replace anger emotions. Starner and Peters (2004) presented anger control as a situation which shows how an individual controls his anger in his relations with other individuals or how he has a tendency to calm down, control experiences stating individual  reactions and anger. Biaggio (1980) suggested that when anger was expressed in a “constructive way, inter-personal emotions such as trust, closeness and empathy developed, it created a base for communication by giving a personal control feeling. In addition to the obstacles experienced by disabled people with hearing, it will be possible to omit a new and more difficult obstacle from their lives when they minimize anger feeling.

Aim

This study is a descriptive study aimed at determining changes in anger expression styles between hearing impaired individuals doing sport and sedentary hearing impaired individuals.

Data collection 

In data collection, a personal information form developed by socio-demographical characteristics and “Continuous Anger and Anger Style Scale” developed by Spielberger et al. (1983) for finding out changes in anger expression styles, adapted into Turkish by Özer (1994), consisting of 34 items, aimed at measuring anger emotion and expression were used. In order to determine the socio-demographic structure, the personal information form was given to the disabled participants with hearing in a quiet environment, and required them to fill in the questionnaire and scale in necessary time and data were transferred into electronical environment. [A1]

Universe and sample

The research universe consisted of hearing impaired individuals doing sport and being sedentary, living in the cities Ä°stanbul, Kütahya, Sivas, Aksaray, Van, Åžanlı Urfa, Konya, Karaman, Sakarya and Ä°zmir. The sample group included total 332 hearing impaired individuals including 62 females, 108 males interested in basketball, voleyball and football sports and 59 females, 103 males being sedentary, living in these cities.

Continuous anger and anger expression style scale

The scale adapted into Turkish by Özer (1994) involves 4 sub-scales including continuous anger, internal anger, external anger and anger control. In the questionnaire applied to teenagers and adults, the participant can sign as "1" defines, "2" less defines, "3" fairly defines and "4" wholly defines for the question how the expressions describe himself. The survey consists of 34 questions in total, including; 10 questions in trait anger sub-dimension (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), 8 questions in anger control sub-dimension article (11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28, 30, 34 ), 8 questions in external anger dimension (12, 17, 19, 22, 24, 29, 32, 33), 8 questions in internal anger dimension (13, 15, 16, 20, 23, 26, 27, 31) [A2] (Spielberger et al., 1983). The Cronbach Alpha value was found to be 0.77 and 0.88. In this study, the Cronbach Alpha value for the continuous anger expression style was registered to be 0.75, the revealed anger was 0.76, the controlled anger was 0.79, the hidden anger was 0.81. In unlimited time scale, the expressions were evaluated as Never (1 point), Some (2 points), Quite (3 points) and Completely (4 points). Scale point was separately done for the continuous anger  level  and  the  anger  expression  ways.  A  point between 10 and 40 was obtained from the Continuous Anger Scale with 10 items.  And a point between 8 and 32 was obtained from each dimension with 8 items in the Anger Expression Style Scale. Within the Continuous Anger, the low points from the hidden anger and the revealed anger were positive, as the high points from the controlled anger were positive. A total point was not taken from the scale (Özer, 1994). The lowest and highest point intervals in the responses to the scale were given as; Never  "1,00-1,75", Some "1,76-2,50", Quite "2,51-3,25" and Completely "3, 26- 4,00". 

Data analysis [A3]

After the normality and variance homogenity of data from the questionnaires were tested, in determination of statistical differences, t-test, One Way Anova and inter-group differences Tukey test were used and the significance level was regarded to be P<0.05.

In Table 1, when considered all groups, the age average was 23,92±2,76. It was determined that all groups had a normal distribution in terms of age variable and the sportive and sedentary hearing impaired groups were homogenous.

In Table 2, numbers and percentages regarding socio-demographic features of all individuals included in the research were seen. Depending on the sportive and sedentary hearing impaired individuals’ gender, education level, marital status and profession factors, a significant difference was found in their anger expression style sub-dimensions.

In Table 3, the average of continuous anger expression style sub-dimension in the sedentary hearing impaired individuals (2,19±0,23) was high rather than other groups and this change was statistically significant (P<0,05). The averages of sedentary hearing impaired individuals in the anger control sub-dimension (2,14±0,29) was low rather than other groups and this change was statistically significant as well (P<0,05). Meanwhile, in the anger control sub-dimension the average of sedentary hearing impaired females (2,22 ±0,34) was low rather than other two groups and there was a significant difference (P<0,05). Although the external anger average (2,03±0,34) of sedentary hearing impaired participants was higher than the other groups, this difference was not found statistically significant. A significant difference (P <0.05) was determined between the internal anger scores (2,03±0,28) of sedentary hearing impaired men and hearing impaired women doing sports (1.93 ± 0.31).

In this study, a statistically significant difference was determined in the continuous anger points between the sportive hearing impaired and sedentary hearing impaired individuals (P<0.05). When examined the anger control points, the change between the sportive hearing impaired group and the sedentary hearing impaired group was considered to be statistically significant (P<0.05) and the high average of anger control in the sedentary hearing impaired group indicated that they controlled their anger less than the sportive hearing  impaired  group.  Although any difference in external anger averages was not observed, the high score of the sedentary group shows that they reflect their anger to the environment more while low average of the sports group shows that they do not reflect their anger to the external environment. Parallel to the increase in external anger scores, anger control  was   determined   to   increase in  the  sedentary group (P <0.05) (Table 3). [A1] The difference between the sedentary hearing impaired and sportive hearing impaired groups was significant in terms of the internal anger (P<0.05) and the higher internal anger point averages in the sedentary hearing impaired group than the sportive hearing impaired group showed that they internalized anger rather than other groups more.

When the socio-demographic changes between the groups were examined, a significant difference was not found depending on factors like education status, age, marital status and gender. Balkaya and Åžahin (2003), Åžahin (2014) did not observe any differences in the anger expression style sub-dimensions in terms of the gender variable, said that anger would change based on different reasons. In a research conducted by Albayrak and Kutlu (2009), a significant difference was observed in external anger sub-dimension depending on the gender. [A2] Keskin et al. (2011) suggested the continuous anger would vary in gender, continuous anger level would be higher in males and divorced individuals, averages would be higher in the external anger sub-dimension in ones with a high education level. These differences in the continuous anger and anger expression styles can be explained that the research group is heterogenous, they are subjected to different tests and applications, their disability situations and degrees are different.

Starner and Peters (2004) discovered a positive relation between the continuous anger and the internal anger, the external anger and the anger control; when the continuous anger level increased, students’ internal anger, external anger and anger control levels increased as well. a statistical difference was observed between the sportive and sedentary groups at the continuous anger level in this study, and the external anger points of the sportive hearing impaired group increased in parallel with the anger control points, in this way, these are similar to Staner and Peters (2004)'study. Also, Lutwak et al. (2001) claimed that shy people hid their angers. A negative correlation between the revealed anger and the internal anger  point  averages  of  the sedentary hearing impaired ones supports this situation. 

Ä°nal (2007) mentions the necessity of contributions of special education programs, relevant lecturers in schools, physical therapists, consultants and families for guiding disabled children in sportive activities by emphasizing that opportunities for doing sport must be increased. Özer (2001) said that hearing impaired children were not different from other disability types in terms of physical feasibility, gender based differences could be observed only in terms of performance. Thanks to sportive activities, disabled individuals will drive away from disability situation; will experience upper emotions regarding sportive activities such as love, respect, peace, share, responsibility, belonging, being a part, brotherhood and their emotions and opinions will be positively affected. Yetim (2014) stated that sportive activities made disabled individuals control their emotions such as aggressiveness, anger, enviousness, depending on their spirit. In this research, external anger, internal anger and continuous anger averages in sedentary individuals being high and anger control scores being low show a positive correlation with the findings of Yetim (2014). [A3]

In disabled children moving and most importantly learning movement is very significant for their mobilities in the future (Aksay et al. 2011). Kul et al. (2011) informed that hearing impaired teenagers’ participation in sportive activities would be more effective in the continuous anger controls. Lower external anger points in the sportive hearing impaired ones are similar to the studies by Aksay et al. (2011) and Kul et al. (2011). Also, Aksay et al. (2011) suggested that disabled individuals’ movement capabilities and movement securities must be targeted in the next periods instead of measuring their performances, by exceeding stereotyped movement rules to see a disabled child’s own initiative and creative behaviors in Athletism, that reduced, limited and changed adult trainings must not be done by disabled individuals for achieving this and freedom must be given to them to show themselves. Groff et al. (2009) mentioned about the importance  of  sport in disabled individuals’ socialization, emphasized that sport and any physical activity made individuals discover different identity roles, change their perception style and reduced awareness about disability in group activities. Özer (2001) informed disabled individuals participated in and completed the competitions held for themselves, had achievements and failures, so regarded themselves as sportive men and reached at a platform to overcome with obstacles. In this study, changes between the continuous anger and anger expression style sub-points of the group doing sport are parallel with the studies mentioned below. Owing to sportive exercises and activities, hearing impaired individuals will make anger feeling as an instrument for making life more liveable, being away from destructive-ness and aggressiveness, by learning many behaviors such as communication, self-confidence, self-control, concentration and self-determination.

Nomellini and Katz (1983) informed that anger based events caused to increase aggressive behaviors and created dangers in parent-child relations. Anderson and Bushman (2001) considered aggressiveness as a behavior which tries to protect from any attacks and aims to give a damage to an individual. Bayramlar (2009) said that physical, emotional and social problems may occur depending on current disabilities in disabled ones, various sports and recreational activities can minimize problems in physically disabled ones, and increase life quality. One of the important cases is that aggressiveness does not appear as a behavior which harms people and environment in a physical and psychological way as a result of anger. Özmen (2006) emphasized that emotions are expressed with the anger concept, behaviors are expressed with the aggressiveness concept. In order to minimize harms of anger feeling to disabled individuals and their environment, like reasons leading to this emotional determining disability and psychological structure resulting from disability will provide opportunities to destroy individuals’ anger at the lowest level without having aggressiveness. Kökdemir (2004) described aggressiveness as a behavior occurred when anger was not controlled, said that anger may appear in some both external and internal events. Even if anger is perceived to be harmless feeling concerning only the person, it always threatens the outer environment with its reflected and uncontrolled structure. In this study, especially sedentary hearing impaired individuals’ continuous anger point averages were high than other groups and this change was statistically meaningful (P<0.05). The important thing is the expression style of anger and more importantly its controllable level, not anger itself. 

When compared to other groups, low anger control averages of hearing impaired groups not interested in any sport branch (2,14±0,29), can indicate that sport is a strong instrument in controlling anger and expressing  themselves. Again the anger control point averages of sedentary females  (2,22 ±0,34)  were   lower   than   the sportive females. This situation shows the importance of exercises and sportive activities.  In individuals with a high point average in the anger control sub-dimension, individuals are dominant about their current anger emotion and positively reflect it on their behaviors. Berkowitz (1990) emphasized that this emotion was short-term and useful at a medium level, would lead to physical and psychological problems when it became continuous and severe. Can et al. (2015) stated teachers’ internal anger and external anger average points were lower than expected, the anger control point average was high. Within the study, the sedentary hearing impaired males’ external anger point averages was statistically low rather than the sportive group, the internal point averages belonging to the sportive group was lower than the sedentary hearing impaired group, which is similar to Can et al. (2015)’s study. Schuerger (1979) stated that anger was destructive when it became continuous and severe, it caused low self-respect, inter-persons and family internal conflicts, verbal and physical attacks, adaptation problems at work life. Campano and Munakata (2004) researched on Philippine 650 secondary school students, found a significant relation between high anger levels, low academic success points and psychosomatic complaints in students. Sonuç (2012) performed exercises of a 8 week, various sportive activities including one hour and two days in a week on the experimental group, in his study titled with The Effect of Sport on Anger Level in Mentally Disabled; after the application program, the experimental group’s continuous anger, internal anger and external anger points seemed to be low, their anger control points were high. Kayıhan et al. (2011) explained that moving, doing exercise, participating in sportive activities gave individuals pleasure whatever disability type and degree in individuals were, pleasure from moving increased individuals’ life motivation. Kayıhan (2011) and Sonuç’s findings (2012) support the anger expression style points of hearing impaired people doing sport in our study.

This study included only hearing impaired individuals in Turkey. The limited number of scientific studies in international level on anger in hearing impaired individuals is thought-provoking. It is important to shed light on future research studies of the same kind about hearing-impaired individuals in other countries of the world.[A4]

Disabled individuals cannot do vital activities expected from themselves due to their disability, perform self-care and especially become dependent on others, which make them feel weak and idle. Girgin and Balcı (2015) suggested that disability caused both children and parents to be affected in physical, emotional and social ways and subjected to various problems, that physically disabled children felt unproductive and inactive, they had emotional problems such as anxiety, depression and loneliness. In this study the anger expression style averages   concerning    the   sportive   hearing   impaired individuals were more acceptable than the sedentary group which proves the power of sportive activities in terms of socialization. We will be all when you think you have some deficiencies which are not completed. Everything shared does not grow, especially in case of anger, when shared, it becomes smaller or losses.

The author has not declared any conflicts of interest.