Relationship of Depression and Assertiveness in Normal Population and Depressed Individuals

Abstract

The present study is aimed at exploring the relationship between depression and self-assertiveness. Sample of the study consisted of 100 people (men = 50, women = 50), who were taken from different offices, houses, and hospitals. Their age ranged between 18 to 50 years, and education level was at least middle standard and above. Their marital status was of both types i.e. married and unmarried. They belonged to lower and middle socioeconomic status. For the measurement of depression and self-assertiveness Urdu translation of Beck Depression Inventory (1996) and scale of self-assertiveness were used. Results indicated highly significant relationship between depression and self-assertiveness. The findings of the results also show that men are more assertive than women. They further show that low education makes a person non-assertive and depressed. Findings further reveal that men and women both can equally be the victim of depression in their life. Findings also suggest that married people are more assertive in comparison with unmarried people.

Social interactions of assertive individuals

“…The results obtained in the present study on the positive relationship between the assertiveness of women with social self-control and the absence of such a connection in men cannot be compared with other studies of this issue in view of the fact that they were not found. The opinion of foreign researchers 28,8,13,15 about the positive relationship between levels of assertiveness and job satisfaction was found in us only for women, but not for men. The revealed absence in our men of the relationship of assertiveness with satisfaction with life also diverges from the conclusion of foreign psychologists 9,15 who assert that assertiveness positively and statistically highly correlates with the satisfaction of the life of both men and women.…”

Imagine All the People: A Guided Internet-Based Imagery Training to Increase Assertiveness among University Students—Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…For example, individuals with social anxiety often adopt passive and avoidant behaviors [ 11 , 12 ], repressing high levels of anger and hostility [ 13 ]. Moreover, unassertiveness correlates with depressive symptoms [ 5 , 14 ], contributing to both the onset and the deterioration of depressive symptoms [ 15 , 16 ]. Lastly, assertiveness negatively correlates with psychological distress [ 17 ].…”

Exploring assertiveness in Indian adolescents: A qualitative inquiry

“…Studies suggest that India has a patriarchal culture that encourages power-distance and uncertainty-avoidance in relationships [5,6]. They are prone to be non-assertive, passive as well as meek in interpersonal situations [7] due to which many of them, especially adolescents, face confusion and stress.…”