Communication :: Assertive Training :: TREATMENT

What Treatments are Effective?
Assertiveness training, when employed as part of a more comprehensive cognitivebehavioral therapy package, is useful for the treatment of people whose lack of assertiveness skills manifests behavior appears as either passivity or aggression. When the absence of assertive behavior is explained by affective or cognitive factors rather than a skills deficit, other strategies are recommended as adjuncts to of assertiveness skills training and practice. 

Examples of such strategies include relaxation training to reduce performance inhibiting anxiety or anger, cognitive restructuring to challenge negative performance predictions and overgeneralizations regarding performance errors, and cognitive reframing with respect to performance goals and measures of performance success.

What are Effective Self-Help Treatments?
There are a plethora of self-help resources available to clients interested in self-initiated efforts towards assertive behaving. These resources are largely in the form of assertiveness training books and internet site targeted directly at the lay person. Although the effectiveness of any individual resource is generally not available to the client he or she may rely on the credentials of the authors or site hosts (e.g., authors who emphasize empirical research and universities as site hosts) to guide their selection of self-help materials.

Self-help books.

● Alberti, R. E. & Emmons, M. L. (2001). Your perfect right: Assertiveness and equality in your life and relationships (8th ed.). Atascadero, CA: Impact Publishers.
● Burton, S., & Shelton, N. (1993). Assertiveness skills. New York: McGraw-Hill.

● Davidson, J. (1997). The complete idiot’s guide to assertiveness (1st ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books.
● Dire, W. (1978). Pulling your own strings: Dynamic techniques for dealing with other people and living your life as you choose. New York: Harper Collins.
● Gabor, D. (2001). How to start a conversation and make friends. New York: Fireside.
● Magee, S, & Pachter, B. (2001). The power of positive confrontation: The skills you needto know to handle conflicts at work, at home, and in life. New York: Marlowe & Company.
● McKay, M., Rogers, P. D., & McKay, J. (2003). When anger hurts: Quieting the storm within, (2nd ed.) Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
● Nay, W. R. (2004). Taking charge of anger: How to resolve conflict, sustain relationships, and express yourself without losing control. New York: The Guilford Press.
● Paterson, R. J. (2000). The assertiveness workbook: How to express your idea and stand up for yourself at work and in relationships. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
● Petracek, L. J. (2004). The anger workbook for women. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Press.
● Valentis, J., & Valentis, M. (2001). Brave new you: 12 dynamic strategies for saying what you want and being who you are. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Self help websites.
● http://www.couns.msu.ed untuk self-help/index.htm (Michigan State University Counseling Center)
● http://www.uiowa.ed untuk ~ucs/asertcom.html (University of Iowa Counseling Services)
● http://www.uwec.ed untuk counsel/pubs/assertivecommunication.htm (University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Counseling Center)
● http://www.couns.uiuc.ed untuk Brochures/assertiv.htm (University of Illinois Counseling Services)
● http://oregonstate.ed untuk dept/counsel/assertivenessskills.html (Oregon State University Counseling Department)
● http://www.utexas.ed untuk student/cmhc/booklets/assert/assertive.html (University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center)
● http://www.twu.ed untuk o-sl/counseling (Texas Woman’s University Counseling Center)

● http://www.amanet.org/index.htm (American Management Association)