Background ASSERTIVENESS is one of the most important skills needed by nurses to reduce interpersonal conflict and build an effective teamwork in complex hospital environments. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an ASSERTIVENESS training program on nurses’ aggressive and adaptive ASSERTIVENESS. Methods In this interventional study, participants were 64 nurses working in hospitals of Abhar city in Iran, randomly divided into two groups of intervention (n=32) and control (n=32). Assertive training program was presented as a two-day training workshop (10 hours) to the intervention group, while the control group received no training. Thompson and Burnham’ s Adaptive and Aggressive ASSERTIVENESS Scale were completed by the participants in both groups at baseline, immediately, one and three months after the intervention. After collecting the data, Friedman, Mann– Whitney, Chi-squared, and Fisher tests were used for their analysis. Findings The mean of adaptive ASSERTIVENESS score was significantly different between the the two groups immediately (P=0. 002) and 1 month after the intervention (P=0. 025). The aggressive ASSERTIVENESS scores were not significantly different immediately, 1 and 3 months after the intervention (P>0. 05), but the results of Friedman test showed a statistically significant decrease in the aggressive ASSERTIVENESS scores compared to its baseline score (P=0. 002). Conclusion The ASSERTIVENESS training program increased adaptive ASSERTIVENESS and decreased aggressive ASSERTIVENESS in nurses. Relevant authorities can design continuous and useful ASSERTIVENESS training programs to promot this valuable skill in nurses.

Introduction: ASSERTIVENESS is an important skill for nurses in order to successfully communicate with patients, families and colleagues. ASSERTIVENESS increases people's self-esteem and self-confidence, improves interpersonal communication, and leads to the development of personality and internal locus of control. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the ASSERTIVENESS training program on nursing students’ ASSERTIVENESS skills.Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, two out of three nursing classrooms held for students entering fall 2011 (n=55), and one out of two for those entering spring 2012 (n=34) were randomly selected. The former as the control group was pre-tested and post-tested after two weeks. The latter as the experimental group was undertaken the ASSERTIVENESS training program and was tested similarly to the control group. The Gambrill & Richey ASSERTIVENESS questionnaire along with some demographic questions were used to collect data. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The mean of ASSERTIVENESS scores in the pre-tests in both groups did not show a significant difference (P=0.6). While no statistically significant change in the control group (P=0.09) was reported, a significant increase in the scores of the experimental group was shown after the training program (P=0.005).Conclusion: The ASSERTIVENESS training program increased the students’ level of ASSERTIVENESS. It is recommended to investigate the effect of improving self-esteem, problem-solving and social communication skills on nursing students’ level of ASSERTIVENESS.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a group ASSERTIVENESS training on enhancing ASSERTIVENESS and self-esteem in a group of submissive students. First, all male students of the first grade of high schools in "Ijrood" District of Zanjan Province were assessed based on Gambrill and Richy Assertion Inventory (1975). Consequently, thirty subjects with the lowest level of ASSERTIVENESS were selected as submissive students. They were randomly assigned to two groups of experimental and control. The Coppersmith Self-esteem Inventory (1967) was also administered to assess these students' self-esteem. The research design was based on pretest and posttest method along with experimental and control groups by random assignment. Participants in the experimental group attended eight sessions of group ASSERTIVENESS training program. Each intervention sessions lasted nearly ninety minutes. Data were collected before and after implementing the ASSERTIVENESS training program and were analysed by using "t" test and covariance methods. The findings indicated positive significant improvement of ASSERTIVENESS and self-esteem in submissive students in the experimental group. The possible explanation for the increase in assertive behavior of the submissive students and enhancing their self-esteem might be due to participation in the ASSERTIVENESS training program which was helpful for such students.

Background: Midwifery profession is required to bring solutions to problems and a midwife is expected to be an assertive person and to develop midwifery care. This study was planned to examine the relationship between ASSERTIVENESS and problem‑solving skills of midwives.Materials and Methods: This cross‑sectional study was conducted with 201 midwives between July 2008 and February 2009 in the city center of Sivas. The Rathus ASSERTIVENESS Schedule (RAS) and Problem Solving Inventory (PSI) were used to determine the level of ASSERTIVENESS and problem‑solving skills of midwives. Statistical methods were used as mean, standard deviation, percentage, Student’s T, ANOVA and Tukey HSD, Kruskal Wallis, Fisher Exact, Pearson Correlation and Chi‑square tests and P<0.05.Results: The RAS mean scores and the PSI mean scores showed statistically significant differences in terms of a midwife’s considering herself as a member of the health team, expressing herself within the health care team, being able to say “no” when necessary, cooperating with her colleagues, taking part in problem‑solving skills training. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the RAS and PSI scores. The RAS scores decreased while the problem‑solving scores increased (r: ‑0451, P<0.01).Conclusions: There were significant statistical differences between ASSERTIVENESS levels and problem solving skills of midwives, and midwives who were assertive solved their problems better than did others. ASSERTIVENESS and problem‑solving skills training will contribute to the success of the midwifery profession. Midwives able to solve problems, and display assertive behaviors will contribute to the development of midwifery profession.

The present research aimed to investigate the effects of a self-ASSERTIVENESS training program and different parenting styles in female first grade high school students in Tehran. Students were selected from 14 education authorities as designated by the Iranian Ministry of Education. All students had enrolled during the academic year 2005 - 2006. The aims of the present research were twofold: First, to compare self-ASSERTIVENESS in students with different parenting styles and second, to examine the effects of a self ASSERTIVENESS training program in students. The sample, using a cluster sampling method consisted of 450 students of whom 40 were selected to take part in the training program. All subjects completed the ASSERTIVENESS Inventory (AI) and a 76 item inventory measuring parenting style. Subjects completed these questionnaires twice before and after the training program. Statistical analyses showed that there was a significant difference between the extend of self-ASSERTIVENESS of students in families with different parenting styles. The greatest difference was in connection with "little control and too much love". It was further found that students who scored low on self ASSERTIVENESS measures can benefit significantly from self-ASSERTIVENESS programs.