The effects of an assertiveness training group on the levels of assertiveness and anxiety in females

The hypotheses will be as follows:

1. The treatment group will have a significantly higher change in scores than the control group on the Adult Self Expression Scale.

2. The treatment group will have a significantly higher change in scores than the control group on the Biographical Inventory.

3. The correlation between change in assertiveness and change in level of anxiety will be negative and high for the treatment group.

The subjects were 19 females from the Knoxville community and The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The design was a pretest-posttest control group format, using random assignment. The treatment group received seven session assertiveness training group which employed the use of modeling, coaching, behavioral rehearsal and Gestalt techniques. The control groups took the pre and posttest measures at the beginning of their treatment periods and two weeks after a period of seven week. All groups took the experiential test two weeks after posttest.

The data were analyzed statistically. The results did not confirm the hypothesis that an increase in assertiveness would typically be accompanied by a corresponding decrease in situational anxiety.

The study concluded with the expected effect not achieved. Possible reasons for discrepancies in results were postulated and suggestions for future research were made.