Emergency department medical records of adolescents presenting with a traumatic injury were screened daily by a designated follow up nurse for the presence of a precipitating historical event (such as an argument or a fight) in which anger or an uncontrolled temper resulted in self inflicted injury during 1998. The authors of this study conclude that anger or uncontrolled temper are responsible for a significant number of injuries in adolescents presenting to the ED. Measures to help adolescents control such reactions are warranted.