Empowering Future Social Workers: Evaluating an Assertiveness-Based Group Work

Year 2025, Volume: 3 Issue: 3, 252 - 276, 01.09.2025

Gizem Çelik Özkan

https://doi.org/10.61535/bseusbfd.1625414

Abstract

This study examines the impact of a group intervention aimed at enhancing the assertiveness levels of social work students. Assertiveness is a key component of healthy communication and professional relationship-building skills. To improve assertiveness, a mixed-methods research design was employed with 21 volunteer students selected from 252 enrolled in the Social Work Department. The study utilized a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design for the quantitative aspect, and analyzed the group process, participant observations, and written feedback from the participants at the end of the sessions for the qualitative dimension. The findings from both quantitative and qualitative analyses demonstrated significant improvements in assertiveness levels and self-expression skills, with a reduction in shyness. The mixed-methods results underscore the effectiveness of the group work in strengthening the professional skills of social work students. This study contributes significantly to social work education.

Keywords

Assertiveness , Social Work Education , Group Work , Communication Skills , Mixed-Methods Research

Geleceğin Sosyal Hizmet Uzmanlarını Güçlendirmek: Güvengenlik Temelli Bir Grup Çalışmasının Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Bu araştırma, sosyal hizmet öğrencilerinin güvengenlik düzeylerini artırmayı hedefleyen grup çalışmasının etkilerini incelemektedir. Güvengenlik, bireylerin sağlıklı iletişim ve profesyonel ilişkiler kurma becerilerinin temel unsurlarındandır. Sosyal hizmet uygulayıcıları için etkili iletişim ve mesleki müdahalede önemli bir beceri olan güvegenliği geliştirmek amacıyla Sosyal Hizmet Bölümünde öğrenim gören 252 öğrenci arasından gönüllü olan 21 öğrenci ile nicel boyutta yarı deneysel araştırma desenli, eşdeğer olmayan kontrol grubu desenini; nitel boyutta grup sürecinin ve grup üyelerinin değerlendirildiği, grup kolaylaştırıcısının gözlemleri ve katılımcılardan grup sonunda toplanan yazılı ifadelerin analizini içeren karma yöntemli araştırma yürütülmüştür. Çalışma, karma yöntem araştırma deseni kullanarak hem nicel hem de nitel bulgularla öğrencilerin gelişimini değerlendirmektedir. Nicel analizler, deney grubunun güvengenlik düzeylerinde anlamlı bir artış sağlandığını gösterirken; nitel veriler, öğrencilerin kendilerini ifade etme becerilerinde gelişim ve çekingenliklerinde azalma olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Karma yöntem bulguları, grup çalışmasının sosyal hizmet öğrencilerinin profesyonel becerilerini güçlendirmedeki etkinliğini vurgulamaktadır. Çalışma, sosyal hizmet eğitimine yönelik önemli bir katkı sağlamaktadır.

Keywords

Güvengenlik , Sosyal Hizmet Eğitimi , Grup Çalışması , İletişim Becerileri , Karma Yöntem Araştırması

References

• Ahmadi, H., Daramadi, P., Asadi-Samani, M., givtaj, H., & Sani, M. (2017). Effectiveness of group training of assertiveness on social anxiety among deaf and hard of hearing adolescents. The International Tinnitus Journal, 21(1), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.5935/0946-5448.20170004
• Alberti, R., & Emmons, M. (2002). Atılganlık: Kendinize yatırım yapın! (Çev.: Serap Katlan). Ankara: HYB Yayıncılık.
• Ateş, B. (2015). Üniversite öğrencilerinin güvengenlik becerileri üzerinde çözüm odaklı grupla psikolojik danışmanın etkisi. Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.17860/efd.84626
• Avşar, F., & Ayaz-Alkaya, S. (2017). The effectiveness of assertiveness training for school-aged children on bullying and assertiveness level. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 36, 186–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2017.06.020
• Bulantika, S. Z., & Sari, P. (2019). The effectiveness of assertive training techniques and thought-stopping techniques to increase student assertiveness ability. Biblio Couns: Journal Kajian Konseling Dan Pendidikan, 2(3), 109-116. https://doi.org/10.30596/bibliocouns.v2i3.3736
• Cavazos, A. & Guerrero, D. (1999). Assertiveness and field education: An exploratory study. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 4(2), 85-94. https://doi.org/10.18084/1084-7219.4.2.85
• Corey, G., Schneider-Corey, M., Callanan, P. & Russell, J. (2004). Group techniques. (4th ed.). USA: Cengage Learning.
• Cournoyer, B. R. (1983) Assertiveness among MSW students. Journal of Social Work Education, 19(1), 24-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220612.1983.10778592
• Duyan, V., & Altınova, H. (2015). Gruplarla sosyal hizmetin sosyal hizmet öğrencilerinin eleştirel düşünme düzeylerine etkisi. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet, 26(1), 7-22.
• Duyan, V., & Gökçearslan, E. (2004). Sosyal grup çalişmasi uygulamasinin psikolojik gereksinimlere etkisi. Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet, 15(1), 61-74.
• Eskin, M. (2003). Self‐reported assertiveness in Swedish and Turkish adolescents: A cross‐cultural comparison. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 44(1), 7-12. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9450.t01-1-00315
• Eslami, A., Rabiei, L., Afzali, S., Hamidizadeh, S., & Masoudi, R. (2016). The effectiveness of assertiveness training on the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression of high school students. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 18(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.21096
• Fjeldheim, S., & Kleppe, L. C. (2025). Facilitating the integration of theory and practice in skills training in social work education. European Journal of Social Work, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2025.2485372
• Hosseini, S., Mirnasab, M., Salimy, H., & Zangiabadi, M. (2015). The effect of assertiveness skills training on reduction of emotional victimization of female high school students. International Journal of Life Sciences, 9(4), 59-64. https://doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v9i4.12679
• Insani, L. J., Sanyata, S., & Sutanti, T. (2023). The effectiveness of assertive training techniques to increase self-confidence of vocational high school students. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, 10(12), 390-398. https://doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v10i12.5300
• Jung, J. M. (2014). The effect of an assertiveness training program for adolescents in residential care in South Korea. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 24(4), 285–299. https://doi.org/10.1080/02185385.2014.927329
• Karakaş, S., & Okanli, A. (2015). The effect of assertiveness training on the mobbing that nurses experience. Workplace Health & Safety, 63(10), 446-451. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079915591708
• Kılıç, S., & Sevinç, S. (2017). The relationship between cultural sensitivity and assertiveness in nursing students from Turkey. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 29(4), 379-386. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659617716518
• Kim, Y. (2003). The effects of assertiveness training on enhancing the social skills of adolescents with visual impairments. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 97(5), 285-297. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482x0309700504
• Kuppens, P., Mechelen, I., & Meulders, M. (2004). Every cloud has a silver lining: interpersonal and individual differences determinants of anger-related behaviors. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(12), 1550-1564. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167204271176
• Lazarus, A. A. (1973). On assertive behavior: A brief note. Behavior Therapy, 4(5), 697-699. http://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(73)80161-3
• Lee, T., Chang, S., Chu, H., Yang, C., Ou, K., Chung, M., Y., Tzeng, W., Chou, Y. & Chou, K. (2013). The effects of assertiveness training in patients with schizophrenia: A randomized, single‐blind, controlled study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 69(11), 2549-2559. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12142
• Lin, Y., Wu, M., Yang, C., Chen, T., Hsu, C., Chang, Y., Tzeng, W., & Chou, K. (2008). Evaluation of assertiveness training for psychiatric patients. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(21), 2875-2883. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02343.x
• Lin, Y.-R., Shiah, I.-S., Chang, Y.-C., Lai, T.-J., Wang, K.-Y., & Chou, K.-R. (2004). Evaluation of an assertiveness training program on nursing and medical students’ assertiveness, self-esteem, and interpersonal communication satisfaction. Nurse Education Today, 24(8), 656–665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2004.09.004
• Maruyama, A., Suzuki, E., & Takayama, Y. (2015). Factors affecting burnout in female nurses who have preschool‐age children. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 13(1), 123-134. https://doi.org/10.1111/jjns.12096 Mavili Aktaş, A. (2001). Küçük gruplar ve dinamikleri ve süreci. Ankara: Mustafa Kitabevi.
• Miguelsanz, M., Martín, M., & Martínez, M. (2017). Assertive skills and academic performance in primary and secondary education, giftedness, and conflictive students. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 10(26), 213-232. https://doi.org/10.25115/ejrep.v10i26.1492
• Nakamura, Y., Yoshinaga, N., Tanoue, H., Kato, S., Nakamura, S., Aoishi, K., & Shiraishi, Y. (2017). Development and evaluation of a modified brief assertiveness training for nurses in the workplace: A single-group feasibility study. BMC Nursing, 16(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-017-0224-4
• Nurmagandi, B., Hamid, A. Y. S., & Panjaitan, R. U. (2022). The effects of assertive communication training on communication skills of adolescents with online game users. Jurnal Aisyah: Jurnal Ilmu Kesehatan, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.30604/jika.v7i4.1388
• Omura, M., Stone, T. E., & Levett‐Jones, T. (2018). Cultural factors influencing Japanese nurses’ assertive communication. part 1: collectivism. Nursing & Amp; Health Sciences, 20(3), 283-288. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12411
• Pardeck, J. T., Anderson, C., Gianino, E. A., Miller, B., Mothershead, M. S., & Smith, S. A. (1991). Assertiveness of Social Work Students. Psychological Reports, 69(2), 589–590. http:/doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1991.69.2.589
• Parmaksız, İ. (2019). Güvengenlik psiko-eğitim programının üniversite öğrencilerinin güvengenliklerini arttırmaya etkisi. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 9(1), 21-32. https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.430095
• Peneva, I., & Mavrodieva, S. (2013). A historical approach to assertiveness. Psychological Thought, 6(1), 3–26. http://doi.org/10.5964/psyct.v6i1.14
• Reid, K. (1997). Social work practice with groups: A clinical perspective (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
• Reith-Hall, E., & Montgomery, P. (2023). Communication skills training for improving the communicative abilities of student social workers: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 19(1), e1309. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1309
• Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2008). Research methods for social work. Belmont CA: Cengage Learning.
• Salter, A. (2002). Conditioned reflex therapy: The classic book on assertiveness that began behavior therapy. Gretna, LA: Wellness Institute.
• Sánchez, F., Leon-Rubio, J., Vázquez-Morejón, R., & León-Pérez, J. (2021). Evaluation of an assertiveness training based on the social learning theory for occupational health, safety and environment practitioners. Sustainability, 13(20), 11504, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011504
• Sitota, G. (2018). Assertiveness and academic achievement motivation of adolescent students in selected secondary schools of Harari peoples regional state, Ethiopia. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 6(4), 40-46. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.6n.4p.40
• Speed, B., Goldstein, B., & Goldfried, M. (2018). Assertiveness training: a forgotten evidence‐based treatment. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice, 25(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12216
• Stoykov, A. (2020). Dynamics of assertive behavior in the social work students. Amazonia Investiga, 9(28), 14-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.34069/AI/2020.28.04.2
• Thompson, N. (2013). Kuram ve uygulamada sosyal hizmeti anlamak. (Çev.: Özlem Cankurtaran-Öntaş ve Burcu Hatipoğlu Eren). Ankara: Dipnot Yayınları.
• Tompsett, H., Henderson, K., Mathew Byrne, J., Gaskell Mew, E., & Tompsett, C. (2016). On the learning journey: what helps and hinders the development of social work students’ core pre-placement skills? Social Work Education, 36(1), 6–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2016.1249836
• Tuna-Özcivanoğlu, M. E. (2016). Yapılandırılmış grupla psikolojik danışma programı: Atılganlık becerileri. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 10(1), 11-19.
• Tuncay, T. (2017). Sosyal hizmet müdahalesini araştırmak: Uygulama kanıtlarla nasıl güçlendirilebilir? Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet, 27(2), 115-129.
• Üstün, G., & Küçük, L. (2020). The effect of assertiveness training in schizophrenic patients on functional remission and assertiveness level. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 56(2), 297-307. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12427
• Vagos, P., & Pereira, A. (2016). A cognitive perspective for understanding and training assertiveness. European Psychologist, 21(2), 109-121. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000250
• Voltan-Acar, N. (2004). Geştalt Terapi-Ne Kadar Farkındayım? (2. Baskı). Ankara: Babil Yayınları.
• Voltan-Acar, N., & Öğretmen, T. (2007). Kendini belirleme (güvengenlik) ölçeği geliştirme çalışmaları. Türk Psikolojik Danışma ve Rehberlik Dergisi, 3(27), 67-78.
• Voltan-Acar, N., Arıcıoğlu, A., Gültekin, F., & Gençtanırım, D. (2008). Üniversite öğrencilerinin güvengenlik düzeylerinin incelenmesi. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 35(35), 342-350.
• Yiğiter, K. (2021). Assertivenes, attention and the relationship between swimming training and them. Opus Uluslararası Toplum Araştırmaları Dergisi, 18(41), 3066-3081 https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.880225