Difference in Assertiveness Between College Males and Females and How it Relates to Experienced Control and Coping

The purpose of this study was to compare the level of assertiveness in college freshmen males and college freshman females versus college senior males and college senior females. In addition, the association between assertiveness and two variables, coping and experienced control, was assessed. Sixty traditional undergraduate students were given the following three self-report inventories to complete: College Self-Expression Scale to measure assertion, COPE to assess coping skills, and Tiffany Control Scales for the reporting of experienced control. Data were analyzed by comparing group means and correlations. Results indicated that no significant differences were reported by the four groups of subjects when using the designated measurement inventories. An ANOVA procedure did indicate a significant intergroup difference on the ECT score of the TCS when the subjects were grouped by grade level and sex. Although the inventories correlated as hypothesized, only CSES and Active Coping of COPE had a significant relationship