Effectiveness of Assertiveness Training on Self-esteem and Assertiveness among Nursing Students

Background: Assertiveness is a communication style based on taking a stand for your rights, expressing your thoughts, beliefs & feelings honestly and directly. It facilitates understanding and promotes a balanced relationship, reducing communication-based malpractices in nursing. Evaluating the effectiveness of assertiveness training among B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing students on assertiveness and self-esteem was the aim of this study. Method: An assertiveness training program was prepared and implemented on 45 nursing students via a one-day, 3-hour interactive face-to-face workshop after the pre-test. Once in a week, follow-up was done for 4 weeks.  Post-tests were done on 7th and 30th day after the intervention. Data collection tools were Begley and Glacken’s Assertiveness Scale and Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale. Result: The participants’ mean assertiveness score increased from pre-test 68.69±6.57 to post-test173.67±5.71 to post-test275.00±5.52. Self-esteem scores increased from pre-test15.22±3.84 to post-test116.98±2.64 to post-test219.31±3.27. A significant increase in the scores was seen in ANOVA and post hoc analysis (p<0.05). Conclusion: Assertiveness training can be an effective measure of improving self-esteem and teaching assertive communication skills to nursing students. This will help in producing assertive nurses in the future.