Search

STUDY ON THE ASSERTIVENESS OF STUDENTS – FUTURE CIVIL SERVANTS. Education & Pedagogy Journal. 2023;3(7):25-37. DOI:

This article highlights the importance of studying and promoting assertive behavior in students, especially future civil servants. Their success today depends on adopting a proactive attitude, overcoming difficulties, and demonstrating emotional stability. Analysis of the scientific literature has shown that assertive behavior leads to improved personal effectiveness and prevents professional burnout, insecurity, and anxiety. Assertive behavior is a specific way of acting that enables individuals to actively and consistently represent their interests and achieve goals, establish open communication, and acknowledge and appreciate the unique qualities of others. Analysis of research results obtained by the following methods: “Investigation of the level of assertiveness” by V. Capponi, T. Novak, “Autonomy-dependence” questionnaire by G.S. Prygin, “Diagnostics of self-confidence” by B.D. Karvasarsky, shows that during higher education, students do not acquire the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop a sufficiently high level of autonomy, self-confidence and, consequently, assertive behavior for their future professional activity. The lack of positive progress in the measured indicators, and in some cases even a decline, suggests that assertive behavior is not sufficiently developed in students during their studies. This observation is evident in the core and elective courses of the «State and Local Government curriculum as listed in the standard training programs. Moreover, the results of the correlation analysis confirm this impression. In particular, there is a significant weakening of the correlation between autonomy and the correlation between “assertiveness and self-confidence.” This weakening means that students’ independence and sense of responsibility are decreasing, and the tendency to rely on external circumstances and the opinions of others is increasing. Based on the obtained results, it is recommended to consider introducing additions to the university curriculum aimed at developing assertive behavior. The goal is to enable students – aspiring civil servants – to manage their emotional responses better, make thoughtful and balanced decisions, achieve their goals, and demonstrate self-confidence and independence. This development is expected to increase their effectiveness in interacting with citizens and colleagues and contribute to their success in their future roles as civil servants. This will ultimately lead to more effective interactions with citizens and colleagues.

Keywords: assertiveness, assertive and manipulative behavior, self-confidence, autonomous and dependent behavior, students, civil servants