Development of a Measurement Tool of Assertiveness among Japanese Nurses

Abstract

The study reported here is part of a larger study to develop a method of teaching assertiveness to Japanese nurses. This purpose of this study was to determine content validity of a measurement tool for assertiveness among Japanese nurses. Currently available measurement tools were first examined but did not seem appropriate for the study. As a result the investigators developed their own tool based on the nine individuals rights taught during the assertiveness training session. For each of the nine rights 3 questions were developed to reflect the three communication styles of aggressive, passive and assertive. The questions were based on situations common in the Japanese nursing work place. A likert type scale was used and the questions were randomly arranged. Two expert nurse administrators and one expert nurse researcher examined the instrument for content validity. Further to validate that the questions reflected common working experiences 13 graduate students completed the instrument and provided comments that validated the situations were common in Japanese nursing. The tool was then used pre and post for 32 nurses participating in the assertiveness training workshop. After the completion of the tool post training the nurses discussed the tool and validated that it did reflect common situations and that they could see the styles of communication assertive, aggressive and passive. The results support the content validity of the tool.