Collection L

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Browsing Collection L by Subject "Assertiveness in children"

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    Assertive behaviour of a group of English-speaking secondary school learners
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1997) Dourans, Fredelene Joan; van Heerden, A. E.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
    The aim of this research was to investigate the assertive behaviour of a group of English-speaking secondary school learners, their degree of discomfort with assertive behaviour, and to identify situations in which they would like to become more assertive. The research consists of two parts: a literature study and an empirical investigation. The literature study consists of an examination of South African and international research relevant to the investigation. The literature available on assertiveness and assertiveness training is reviewed. Since adolescence is a well-researched area in psychology, theories pertaining to adolescent development are only briefly mentioned and only those deemed relevant to this research are highlighted. For the empirical investigation the research questionnaire, the Assertion Inventory, was administered. The Assertion Inventory is a 40-item instrument for use with a group of heterogeneous individuals. The Assertion Inventory was designed to derive three types of information: a person's degree of discomfort with assertive behaviour in specific situations, judged probability of engaging in assertive behaviour, and the identification of situations in which a person would like to become more assertive. Additional information derived from this questionnaire for the purposes of this research was sex and age differences pertaining to assertiveness amongst high school pupils. This investigation shows that only a small percentage of adolescents knows how to assert themselves appropriately. The majority of adolescents display what is known as a dysfunctional assertion repertoire ranging from nonassertiveness to anxious-performers. Girls appear to be more assertive than boys. Considering the findings, guidelines for an assertiveness training programme have been given. These include: Change: What it requires: This section deals with what the group would require in order to become more assertive. Change: How to do it: This section deals with information and skills needed in four basic areas in order to become more assertive. Four Basic Profiles: This section deals with the subjects who fall into the three dysfunctional categories of assertiveness and what they need to do in order to change their behaviour. Developing an Assertion Plan: A well thought out plan will enable group members to make significant changes in their thinking, feelings and behaviours systematically. Six steps were provided in this regard.