Lay summary
Research has shown that individuals who experience chronic intense anger or have difficulty regulating their expression of anger can experience significant psychological distress and functional impairment. In New Zealand, Pacific youth are persistently affected by high rates of suicide as well as increased exposure to violence and aggression compared to non-Pacific youth. Exposure to aggression and violence is a common risk factor in youth mental health and associated with an increasing burden of anxiety and depressive disorders among youth. I want to investigate the perceptions, interpretations, and understandings that Pasifika youth assign to the experience of anger. There is an evident lack of research exploring the experience of anger using language and interpretations of Pasifika youth themselves. This study aims to provide insight into the social, community, and cultural contexts that Pasifika youth are socialised within and in turn, shape their experiences and interpretation of anger.