Assertiveness training : its effect upon academic achievement and self-concept of vocational nursing students

Typescript (photocopy).The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of assertiveness training on the self-concept and academic achievement of vocational nursing students. The subjects were 40 students enrolled in the vocational nursing program at Temple Junior College in Temple, Texas, during the summer 1986 semester. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Treatment for the experimental group consisted of participation in an assertion training group. The control group received no treatment. Both groups completed the assessment tools. Research questions, aligned with the purpose, were as follows: (1) Is there a significant difference in assertive behavior between those students participating in assertiveness training and those students in a control group? (2) Is there a significant difference in self-concept between those students participating in assertiveness training and those students in a control group? (3) Is there a significant difference in academic achievement between those students participating in assertiveness training and those students in a control group? (4) Is there a significant relationship between levels of assertiveness and levels of self-concept? The research design was a randomized post-test only control group design. Assessment tools used to collect data were (1) Rathus Assertive Schedule, (2) Tennessee Self-Concept Scale and (3) end of semester GPA's were obtained for each subject. Research hypotheses were studied using a t-test to determine if differences existed between groups and a Pearson product-moment correlation was done to determine if a relationship existed between levels of assertiveness and levels of self-concept. Findings revealed no significant differences between groups on any of the dependent variables. No significant correlation was found between the levels of assertiveness and levels of self-concept