Investigates the consequences of the Great Depression experiences on middle- and working-class women by examining their well-being in old age 40 years later. Results showed consistently adverse effects of economic loss for working-class women and benign outcomes among women of higher status. (Author/RM)

Investigated whether assertive and nonassertive individuals differ in defense mechanisms they most typically rely on when confronted with interpersonal stress and conflict. Results indicated assertive males and females both endorsed the most adaptive defense mechanism cluster, whereas nonassertive males and females endorsed more primitive defense…

Examined the effectiveness of assertiveness training groups led by trained paraprofessional college students. Participants (N=40) were assigned to either a treatment or control condition after completing two personality measures. Results suggest that paraprofessionals are effective in producing significant, positive changes in the reported…

Examined the relationship between the assertiveness, conformity, and drug use of 16 university students. Subjects were exposed to a series of 10 conformity tasks based on Asch's classic paradigm. One-way analyses of variance revealed that alcohol-marijuana users were less assertive and more compliant than "hard" drug users. (Author)

Children (N=101) from fourth, fifth, and sixth grade were assigned to a social skills training program or control condition. Subpopulations of subjects were identified. Results indicated underachievers improved social relationships, disruptive children increased academic skills, and exceptional children increased significantly in both areas.…

Studied influence of sex roles on defense mechanisms. Females completed Defense Mechanisms Inventory (DMI) and Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Low masculinity on the BSRI was associated with high Turning Against Self on the DMI. High masculine subjects indicated greater willingness to attack objects of frustration. (Author)

Assigned depressed outpatients (N=32) to either group assertion training or "traditional" group psychotherapy. Results showed that over a relatively short period of time, assertion training was more effective than traditional psychotherapy in increasing self-reported assertiveness and in alleviating depression. (Author)

Factor-analyzed objective measures of interpersonal behavior presumed to be tapping assertiveness. Most of the behavioral measures loaded highly on a general factor of assertiveness. The fifth behavioral measure loaded highly on a separate factor, response latency. All behavioral measures with the exception of response latency evidenced…

Described studies directed toward development and validation of a self-report measure of social competence in dating and assertion situations. An 18-item questionnaire was derived which discriminated between client and normal populations and between clients with dating and assertion problems. It measured differential improvement following…

Examined the applicability of an expectancy/decison model to assertiveness in a nonclinical population. Results suggest that participants consider the consequences of being assertive when making a decision about how to behave. Training programs should take into account the participant's perceptions of the risks involved in being assertive.…

Investigated the relationship between Edwards conceptualization of social desirability and the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the Assertion Inventory. Results indicated that the Assertion Inventory is substantially confounded with the tendency to give socially desirable responses in self-description; the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule is less…

Describes an alcohol prevention program with a comprehensive developmental skills orientation. The program includes values clarification, decision making, career planning and communication skills, assertiveness and relaxation training, and relationship with parents and peers. (Author/JAC)

Describes a pilot program that provides basic communication skills and assertiveness training in a supportive group environment and addressed some of the problems of battered women. The women who participated in the program reported that they had been helped. (RC)

Analyses of the children's communication patterns revealed that LD children were less likely to disagree with classmates, less likely to try to argue for their choices, and more likely to agree with their peers. (Author)

Although all treatment groups performed significantly greater than the control group on interview performance, there was no significant difference between the five conditions. The use of additional equipment and experiential training did not show superiority over a purely didactic approach in training disadvantaged college students. (Author)