Correlates of assertiveness in normal and clinical samples: A multidimensional approach

Abstract

Recent reviews of the assertiveness literature (e.g., St. Lawrence, 1987) suggest that the majority of the most frequently used measures of self-reported assertion require more empirical attention regarding their psychometric properties before definitive conclusions can be made about their utility for research purposes and for clinical applications. In the present investigation, an attempt was made to expand the construct validity (convergent and divergent) of the Scale for Interpersonal Behavior (SIB), a multidimensional measure of both difficulty and distress in assertiveness. Findings were obtained from eight independent non-patient and clinical samples on a multitude of measures. Considering assertiveness as a subconstruct of the more complex Shyness construct, predictions were formulated as to the kind and degree of associations that ought to emerge in relating the SIB to a large variety of homologous and more or less non-homologous concepts. Among others, these included private and public self-consciousness, social and non-social (e.g., agoraphobic and blood-injury) fears, punitivity, trait shyness and trait social anxiety, depression (affect and complaints), anger-hostility, self-esteem, dogmatism aspects, social cognition, aggression, interpersonal values (e.g., leadership, support, conformity) and state and trait anxiety. Statistical analyses involved determining associations from simple correlational and higher-order (factor) analyses and from a multidimensional scaling technique (MINISSA). The results converged in providing clear evidence of the convergent and divergent validity of the SIB measuring constructs. Sex differences in the patterns of assertiveness correlates were either small or negligible, the most outstanding exceptions being correlations involving self-esteem in community volunteers (stronger in females) and such interpersonal values as leadership (significant in males but not in females), support and recognition (both significant in females but not in males) in non-psychiatric social skills trainees. In addition, shyness was confirmed as a higher-order concept, broader than assertiveness, encompassing both its affective and its behavioral components. Different types of shyness relating to the affective, behavioral or cognitive components were identified, of which Neurotic/fearful social shyness and Shyness as an anxiety-behavioral syndrome were most prominent, thus providing further support for the idea that shyness is a fundamental aspect of social/interpersonal behavior, personality organization and structure. The different higher-order types of Shyness were orthogonal to General emotionality/Neuroticism/General psychological distress and also to what may be considered subcomponents of the broader Neuroticism/Anxiety concept (e.g., depressive mood and complaints, phobic and obsessive-compulsive symptoms). The implications which the empirical identification of different types of higher-order Shyness constructs has for assessment, treatment planning and treatment evaluation are explored.