Global beliefs and types of assertiveness training as predictors of assertiveness

This experimental investigation examined the relationship between global beliefs and two types of assertiveness training in predicting assertiveness training outcome. Global beliefs, representative of an individual's beliefs system, is a composite of the Ellisonian irrational beliefs. It is conceptualized as a cognitive individual difference variable known to be related to assertiveness. By monitoring global beliefs and subjecting one group of assertiveness trainees to a behavioral-skills-only training program (BO) and a second group of assertiveness trainees to a cognitive-behavioral skills training program (CB), it was possible to ascertain the prediction of assertiveness from global beliefs with types of assertiveness training. College students volunteering to participate in an assertiveness training program were pretested on assertiveness and global beliefs using the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (Rathus, 1973) and the Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT) (Jones, 1969), respectively. Twentyeight college students described as nonassertive served as research subjects. Subjects were subsequently rank ordered according to pretest IBT scores and ranked pairs were randomly assigned to the two training groups. A modified randomized control group pretest-posttest research design was used to determine the prediction of assertiveness from global beliefs with types of assertiveness training. The data were analyzed using the general linear models procedures of the SAS statistical package (SAS Institute Inc., 1982). [...]