Date of Award

1-1-1980

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Counseling Psychology & Community Services

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to develop an assertiveness training program for children and measure its effect on their self-concepts. Another purpose of the study was to examine the correlation between assertiveness and self-concept.The subjects in this study consisted of seventh and eighth grade students who were enrolled in parochial schools during the 1979-1980 school year. The experimental group attended Sacred Heart Grade School in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The group consisted of 48 seventh graders, 24 females and 24 males; 46 eighth graders, 26 females and 20 males. The control group attended St. Frances de Sales and St. Joseph's Grade Schools in Moorhead, Minnesota. The group consisted of 38 seventh graders, 21 females and 17 males; 46 eighth graders, 24 females and 22 males. A total of 178 subjects were involved in the study.Two instruments were used in the study. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale was used to measure self-concept. Scores on the modified Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (mRAS) were used to measure assertiveness.Data were analyzed through usage of t-tests, 3-way analysis of covariance and Pearson product-moment correlation. The .05 level was used to evaluate significance.The findings for this study were as follows: There was a significant increase in assertiveness from pre to post test for the experimental group but not for the control group. Three way analysis of covariance revealed no significant changes in self-concept with the main effects of treatment, grade, and sex. There were also no significant changes in the interactions between grade and sex, nor with treatment, grade and sex. Significant interactions were found between treatment and grade and treatment and sex. Adjusted mean scores of each group revealed that males and seventh graders in the experimental group, females and eighth graders in the control group increased in self-concept. Males and seventh graders in the control group, females and eighth graders in the experimental group decreased in self-concept. Significant correlations between self-concept and assertiveness were found with all variables at the pre and post test levels.The increase in assertiveness scores for the experimental group indicated the effectiveness of the assertiveness program for seventh and eighth graders. Little evidence was found to indicate that participation in an assertiveness program would assure an increase in self-concept even though significant correlations were found between assertiveness and self-concept scores.

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