Provides review of substance abuse prevention programing over the past 20 years. Describes an empirically promising approach based on teaching assertiveness and decision-making skills and cites the results of a longitudinal evaluation of the assertiveness training component. Concludes with a description of the authors' current program in the…

The study evaluated the effectiveness of an assertiveness training program with three young adult male stutterers. The program included instruction, modeling, behavior rehearsal, feedback, social reinforcement, and homework. Results indicated substantial increases during employment interviews in such target behaviors as responding to pejorative…

Evaluated an assertion training program for adolescents (N=23) in a middle-school setting. Results showed the group who received the training significantly improved their scores on the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale and the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire. The control group showed no change in their scores. (JAC)

No relation was found between assertion and marital adjustment for 187 married graduate students. In a second study, 15 students who completed one of two five-week assertiveness workshops significantly increased levels of assertive behavior relative to a control group, but no significant difference occurred for marital adjustment between groups.…

Social skills training was given to 15 children aged 9-11 who were victims of bullying. Measures of psychosocial adjustment at three points during the year were compared with those of 13 waiting-list controls. The treatment group increased global self-worth, but there were no significant improvements in social skills problems or victim status.…

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…

Assessed the effectiveness of covert modification procedures in an assertion training program. All treatment groups were superior to the control in behavioral ratings of assertiveness during the posttest in those situations that had been employed previously in treatment; two were superior in those that had not been used, providing evidence of…

A self-administered assertiveness training program trained refusal of unreasonable requests from strangers and close relationships. Comparison with a placebo program indicated the assertiveness program produced superior effectiveness of assertion, content of assertion, verbalization of assertion-related obligations, persistent assertive…

Six-session systematic assertiveness training program based on social cognitive theory and focusing on peer interactions and social responsibility was presented to 22 sixth graders. Compared to control group, students who received training performed significantly better on test of cognitive acquisition of the information at posttest and six-month…

A group counseling approach was used to enhance the self-concept of 10 congenitally visually impaired adolescents. Group sessions focused on such topics as self-perception, assertiveness, friendship, familial relationships, and independent living skills. Evaluation found significant improvement in self-concept, attitudes toward blindness, and…

This study examined Toughlove, the controversial self-help organization for parents and out-of-control adolescents. Six small group Toughlove meetings containing an average of 8 members for each were observed, and questionnaires were completed by 75 Toughlove parents from 8 states. Variables examined include the roles of empathy, assertiveness…

Patterns of drug use among teenagers indicate they are highly influenced by peers. To examine the influence of Say It Straight, an alcohol/drug abuse prevention program aimed at teaching adolescents to deal with peer pressure, sixth, seventh and eighth graders (N=509) created and role played situations in which they wanted to say "no" to…

Investigated the effects of assertive training on measures of assertiveness, state anxiety, and mathematics performance in highly anxious ninth graders (N=96). Found that assertive training resulted in increased assertiveness and decreased state anxiety, with no significant effect on mathematics performance, and no significant effect due to sex.…

Our action research project report provided students with social skills training to effectively handle bullying situations in the fourth grade. Our study involved 70 fourth-grade students and began Monday, January 14, 2008 and concluded Friday, May 2, 2008. The behaviors documented from the fourth grade students were name calling, exclusion,…

A unit in assertive communication strategies for the workplace was developed and tested with approximately 45 juniors and seniors at a Utah high school. For 4 weeks of a 6-week grading period, the students were exposed to basic information on verbal and nonverbal communication and administered a survey designed to tap their individual value system…