S2.08 - Assertiveness Training
Assertiveness skills are defined here as behaviors that serve the function of expressing wants, needs, opinions, or rights (Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1999). Assertiveness skills teach a consumer to express positive and negative feeling appropriately, initiate conversations and end conversations at the correct times, and express their opinions. Assertiveness skills are learned expressive behaviors that have overt or observable components and covert or non-observable components (Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1998). Overt components include the content of a verbal interaction, the vocal characteristics of an interaction, and the nonverbal characteristics of the interaction (e.g., facial expressions and body posture). The covert components include knowledge, beliefs, problem-solving skills, and other self-management skills that are component skills of self-determination. This employment support will focus on the overt components of assertiveness.
Assertiveness means being able to speak up for what you want, expressing your opinions and preferences. Assertiveness skills are important in all phases of the Self-Determined Career Development Model, from identifying interests and preferences that lead to the development of goals in Phase 1, to evaluating the next steps in Phase 3. The following material provides some suggestions for teaching consumers assertiveness skills.
Step 1: Discriminate between assertive, nonassertive and aggressive behaviors
Many strategies for teaching assertive behavior include teaching people to understand and discriminate between assertive, nonassertive or aggressive behaviors. It is advantageous to understand the differences in how people express their wants and needs and how others react to differences in expression in order to develop good assertiveness skills. Assertiveness is generally promoted over aggressive or nonassertive behaviors. However, characterizing aggressive or nonassertive behaviors as always bad and assertive behaviors as always good is not accurate or appropriate. There are occasions in which nonassertive and aggressive behaviors are more helpful than assertive behaviors. Understanding how others react to these three styles of expression can make it easier to decide on the best course of action (Wehmeyer, Agran & Hughes, 1998).
- Nonassertive behavior includes being too quiet, not speaking up when you need to, or just accepting whatever other people want or say (Bolding & Wehmeyer, 1999). Nonassertive behavior may help avoid conflicts, but it also limits the potential outcome. A nonassertive consumer may not be able to speak up about his or her rights, even when the consumer understands those rights. Nonassertive behavior may also invite others to take advantage of the consumer (Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1998).
- Aggressive behavior can be characterized as pushy, demanding, angry, loud, argumentative, sarcastic, or accusatory (Bolding & Wehmeyer, 1999). While aggressive behavior may be an effective method of releasing anger, it usually results in hurting someone’s feelings. Others may react to aggressive behavior with aggressive behavior, verbal or physical, and aggression may limit opportunities for resolving conflict or reaching a compromise (Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1998)
- Assertive behavior is speaking up for yourself, saying what you really need and want, listening to others and their ideas, taking time to be sure others really hear and understand what you want, and working together with others to get the support you or others need (Bolding & Wehmeyer, 1999).
Page updated 10/12/06
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