THE RELATIONSHIP OF EDUCATION AND ASSERTIVENESS AMONG STUDENT NURSES (NURSES).
Contributors: United States International University.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 115
Subjects: Psychology, General.; Psychology, Industrial.; Psychology, Social.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Education.
Description: The problem. The purpose of this study vas to measure the relationship between nursing education and assertiveness among student nurses.

Method. A cross-sectional, correlational design using self-report methodology examined whether varied levels and/or types of nursing education were associated with significant differences in assertiveness among student nurses. Comparisons were made between 128 American born female volunteer first-, second-, and fourth-year nursing students in either Associate or Baccalaureate Degree Nursing programs. The Nurses' Assertiveness Inventory (NAI), Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS), a demographic questionnaire, and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (SDS) were utilized. A small sample of nursing instructors rated students' assertiveness.

Results. One-way ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, and correlations were used to analyze data. The five groups of nursing students were diversified in terms of ethnicity. Associate first-year students were significantly older than first-year baccalaureate students, while baccalaureate fourth-year students were significantly younger than associate or baccalaureate second-year students, according to Games and Howell post-hoc comparisons.

Hypotheses predicted that greater assertiveness would be associated with more education. There were no significant differences in assertion reported by associate vs. baccalaureate first-year students. There were also no differences in assertion levels between baccalaureate first-and second-year students. Associate second-year students scored more assertively than first-year students on the NAI and one subscale, partially supporting the hypothesis. Baccalaureate fourth-year students, however, reported significantly less assertiveness than second-year students.

Also contrary to predictions, there were some significant differences in assertion levels between baccalaureate fourth-year and associate second-year students, with baccalaureate students scoring lower. These effects however were washed out when using SDS as a covariate, except for the RAS factor "standing up for rights." While teacher and student ratings correlated poorly on the NAI subscales, the correlation for the total NAI was significant (r =.98). These results imply that nursing education does not promote assertiveness.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-04, Section: B, page: 2285.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, 1991.

School code: 0239.