Transcript Document

Chapter 14
Assertiveness
Training
Copyright © 2014. F.A. Davis Company
Assertive Communication
• Assertiveness is behavior that enables
individuals to:
– Act in their own bests interests
– Stand up for themselves without undue anxiety
– Express their honest feelings comfortably
– Exercise their own rights without denying the rights
of others
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Assertive Communication (cont.)
• Honesty is basic to assertive behavior and is
expressed in a manner that promotes selfrespect and respect for others.
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Basic Human Rights
• The right to be treated with respect
• The right to express feelings, opinions, and
beliefs
• The right to say “no” without feeling guilty
• The right to make mistakes and accept the
responsibility for them
• The right to be listened to and taken seriously
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Basic Human Rights (cont.)
•
•
•
•
•
The right to change your mind
The right to ask for what you want
The right to put yourself first, sometimes
The right to set your own priorities
The right to refuse justification for your
feelings or behavior
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Basic Human Rights (cont.)
• If one is to accept these rights, he or
she must also accept the
responsibilities that accompany
them.
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Response Patterns
• Individuals develop patterns of responding to
others. These include:
– Watching other people (role-modeling)
– Being positively reinforced or punished for a
certain response
– Inventing a response
– Not thinking of a better way to respond
– Not developing the proper skills for a better
response
– Consciously choosing a response style
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Four Common Response Patterns
1. Nonassertive Behavior
Sometimes called passive behavior. These
individuals seek to please others at the expense of
denying their own basic human rights.
2. Assertive Behavior
These individuals stand up for their own rights
while protecting the rights of others. Feelings are
expressed openly and honestly. Self-respect and
respect for others are maintained.
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Four Common Response Patterns
(cont.)
3. Aggressive Behavior
These individuals defend their own basic rights by
violating the basic rights of others. Aggressive
behavior hinders interpersonal relationships.
4. Passive-Aggressive Behavior
These individuals defend their own rights by
expressing resistance to social and occupational
demands. Sometimes called indirect aggression,
the behavior takes the form of passive,
nonconfrontative action. These individuals use
actions instead of words to convey their message,
and the actions express covert aggression.
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Four Common Response Patterns
(cont.)
1. Two clients disagree on what movie to watch during
free activity time. One client says to the other, “I would
like to watch the comedy instead of the murder
mystery.” The nurse recognizes this as which form of
communication response pattern?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Nonassertive
Assertive
Aggressive
Passive-Aggressive
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Four Common Response Patterns
(cont.)
• Correct answer: B
– Assertive individuals express feelings openly and
honestly. Individuals using this communication
pattern use “I” statements and communicate
tactfully. The example presented in the question
demonstrates the use of an assertive
communication pattern.
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Behavioral Components of Assertive
Behavior
• Intermittent Eye Contact. This conveys the
message that one is interested in what is
being said.
• Body Posture. Sitting and leaning slightly
toward the other person in a conversation.
• Distance/Physical Contact. Appropriate
physical distance is culturally determined.
Invasion of personal space may be
interpreted by some individuals as
aggressive.
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Behavioral Components of Assertive
Behavior (cont.)
• Gestures. These may also be culturally
related. Gestures can add meaning to the
spoken word.
• Facial Expression. Various facial expressions
convey different messages.
• Voice. The voice conveys a message by its
loudness, softness, amount and placement of
emphasis, and evidence of emotional tone.
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Behavioral Components of Assertive
Behavior (cont.)
• Fluency. Being able to discuss a subject with
ease and with obvious knowledge conveys
assertiveness and self-confidence.
• Timing. Assertive responses are most
effective when they are spontaneous and
immediate.
• Listening. Assertive listening means giving the
other individual your full attention.
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Behavioral Components of Assertive
Behavior (cont.)
• Thoughts. One’s attitudes about the
appropriateness of assertive behavior
influences one’s response.
• Content. Many times what is being said is not
as important as how it is said.
• Persistence. An assertive person persists in
his/her pursuits.
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Behavioral Components of Assertive
Behavior (cont.)
2. A nurse is conducting an assertiveness training class.
Which of the following characteristics of assertive
behavior should the nurse include?
A. Eye contact should be steady and continuous.
B. Invasion of intimate space can be interpreted as
assertive behavior.
C. While interacting, individuals should turn slightly
away from the other person.
D. The facial expression is congruent with the verbal
message.
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Behavioral Components of Assertive
Behavior (cont.)
• Correct answer: D
– Various facial expressions convey different
messages. In assertive communication, the facial
expression is congruent with the verbal message.
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Techniques that Promote Assertive
Behavior
• Standing up for one’s basic human rights
• Assuming responsibility for own statements
• Responding as a “broken record” – persistently
repeating in a calm voice what is wanted
• Agreeing assertively–assertively accepting
negative aspects about oneself; admitting
where an error has been made
• Inquiring assertively–seeking additional
information about critical statements
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Techniques that Promote Assertive
Behavior (cont.)
• Shifting from content to process–changing
the focus of the communication from
discussing the topic at hand to analyzing what
is actually going on in the interaction
• Clouding/fogging–concurring with the critic’s
argument without becoming defensive and
without agreeing to change
• Defusing–putting off further discussion with
an angry individual until he or she is calmer
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Techniques that Promote Assertive
Behavior (cont.)
• Delaying assertively–putting off further
discussion with another individual until one is
calmer
• Responding assertively with irony
• Using “I” statements–taking ownership of
one’s feelings rather than saying they are
caused by another person
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Thought-Stopping Techniques
• A technique that was
developed to eliminate
intrusive, unwanted thoughts
• The individual practices interrupting negative
thought processes with the word “stop,” and
shifting his or her thoughts to ones that are
considered pleasant and desirable
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Role of the Nurse
• Nurses must understand and use assertive
skills to effect change that will improve the
status of nursing and the system of healthcare provision.
• Nurses who understand and use
assertiveness skills can assist clients who
wish to effect behavioral change in an effort
to increase self-esteem and improve
interpersonal relationships.
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Role of the Nurse (cont.)
• Nurses can teach clients assertiveness skills
on a one-to-one basis or in a group situation.
• Information should include examples of
various behavioral responses (assertive,
nonassertive, aggressive, and passiveaggressive), as well as techniques that can be
used to promote assertive behavior.
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Role of the Nurse (cont.)
• Clients should be given the opportunity to
practice their newly learned skills through
role-play to facilitate the behavior when the
actual situation arises.
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