Exploring the relationship between 8th graders' assertiveness levels and family functions

Abstract

This research has been conducted to examine the relationship between primary school 8th grade students’ levels of assertiveness and a) family function b) socio-demographic variables.  In the research with the family assessment scale, rathus assertiveness and socio-demographic properties inventory has been used. The personal information form has been used for socio-demographic variables according to family assessment functions and social demographic properties, the students’ levels of assertiveness have been studied whether significantly differentiate (p<.05/p<.01) or not. Socio-demographic properties are gender, number of siblings, birth order, self-confidence and lack of self-confıdence, parents’ education level, and family income level. In the sample group there are 195 girl students and 236 boy students classes of the society totally 431 students form the sample group. As a result, the level of assertiveness doesn’t change according to the gender. Terms of roles, affective involvement and behaviour control, male students have higher average scores than female students. Generally the students who have got two siblings, have lower scores than the other number of siblings group (1,3,4,6); in terms of the relationship between the family function and assertiveness, the overall high scores have been found to cause a decrease in the communication, roles and general functions (sub-family functıons) of the 8th grade students’ levels of assertiveness.

Key Words: Assertiveness; Family Functions; Elementary Students; Socio-demographic; Family C ounselling