Asian Research Consortium

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1 Asian Research Consortium Asian Journal of Research in Business Economics and Management Vol. 5, No. 5, May 205, pp ISSN Asian Journal of Research in Business Economics and Management The relation between interpersonal dependency, assertiveness and self-efficiency among students of Tehran's Central Azad University Soraya Gholizadeh Department of Measurement, Central Tehran branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran DOI NUMBER: / Abstract This study was conducted aiming to examine the relationship of interpersonal dependency and assertiveness with students' self-efficiency. The methodology of the study was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population consisted of all the students of Tehran's Central Azad University, who studied in the university between the years of 202 and 203. The statistical sample of the study included 300 people who were selected using the "Cluster Random Sampling Method". Data collection was done based on Hirschfield s "interpersonal dependency" questionnaire, Sherer M, Maddux JE's "selfefficiency" questionnaire, and Gambril and Rigi's "assertiveness" questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaires was calculated to be 0.73, 0.78, 0.79, respectively, using the the Cronbach s alpha method. In addition, the validity of the questionnaires was tested; therefore the questionnaire was approved by the corresponding experts. The analysis of the data obtained from the questionnaires was done using the SPSS software in two sections: descriptive (mean, variance, standard deviation and median) and inferential (Pearson Correlation and Stepwise Regression Analysis). The results showed that there is a negative relationship between interpersonal dependency and self-efficiency; and there is a positive relationship between assertiveness and self-efficiency. Based on the results of the regression analysis, about 32 percent of the self-efficiency changes have been due to interpersonal dependency and predictable assertiveness; 22 percent due to interpersonal dependency and 0 percent due to assertiveness. Keywords: interpersonal dependency, assertiveness, self-efficiency. 20

2 Introduction Educational success, social advances and constructive interaction with the environment are factors that families and education systems expect to see in youngsters and students. To achieve these goals, there are many prerequisites; some of these prerequisites should be prepared by societies and there are some of them that are related to people's cognitive and mental qualities. One of the important mental qualities is the feeling of being self-efficient which influences all the behavioral and motivational aspects. Selfefficiency consists of people's beliefs in their abilities to have motivations, cognitive sources and control over a certain event. Therefore, one of the basic aspects of self-efficiency is the belief that one can have influence on the events of his/her life by applying control, especially when they face stressful factors; having control over events is an important factor which helps to adapt to different situations (Bandura 997). Positive feeling of self-efficiency helps to function better and have proper activation and mental health. People who experience depression, anxiety and dissatisfaction in life usually do not find their skills sufficient and find themselves inefficient. Thus, our advances, positive mental health and satisfaction produce a positive feeling (Bandura 999). Vaillent (according to Lavoie et al., 2008) believes that self-efficiency is one of the influential factors that enables people to not lose control, and it's undoubtedly one of the basic factors affecting mental health; positive feeling of self-efficiency tremendously helps to act properly. Various studies have been done in connection to the consequences of self-efficiency. For example, Putwain et al. (202) found that students with high self-efficiency, compared to those with lower selfefficiency, have better performance in terms of education; they showed that educational self-efficiency determines educational advances and emotions. Asgari et al. (203) concluded that there is a relationship between self-efficiency and educational advances. Lavoie et al. (2008) also showed that self-efficiency there is a meaningful relationship between life quality and ethical-nervous disorders. Hence it is extremely important to learn more about self-efficiency and the aspects related to and affecting selfefficiency. According to Bendoura (997), people's perception of their self-efficiency improves under the influence of four sources; dominant experiences (personal life history), succession experiences (observing other people's behaviors and their consequences), verbal persuasion (the effect of what peoples say about one's abilities and skills), and emotional-physiological states (unpleasant physiological stance vs. pleasant physiological stance). Later, Madux (2002, according to Mathisen, G. E., & Bronnick, 2009) added another source to the four sources mentioned by Bendoura; this source is called "Visualization Experiences". In visualization experiences, people can determine their self-efficiency beliefs by visualizing a certain situation and the effective and ineffective behaviors of themselves and others in that situation. In addition, Rodebaugh TL (2006) believes that there is a relationship between self-efficiency and communicational skills. Khazayi et al. (204) concluded that there is a relationship between selfefficiency and assertiveness. Mathisen, G. E., & Bronnick (2009) showed that implementing a training program of creativity helps to increase people's self-efficiency. Thus it seems that what people think of themselves, their character and skills is connected to self-efficiency; one of these personality traits is "interpersonal dependency". The concept of interpersonal dependency, like many other psychological concepts, is abstract, complicated and unclear. Interpersonal dependency is usually referred to as the amount of help and interpersonal convenience that one obtains from another person. Birtchnell, J, (988), according to the definition of interpersonal dependency, believes that a dependent person all the time needs others' help; this harms relationships and threatens life quality. Bornstein (993) states that most of the new definitions 2

3 emphasize four main components: a) motivational (including an obvious need for guidance, support and others' approval); b) cognitive (including one's understanding of himself/herself as a weak and good-fornothing person, with belief in the fact that other people are powerful and eligible); c) emotional (including anxiety and fear when needing to rely on oneself, especially when one's efforts are evaluated by a power symbol) and d) behavioral (including the tendency to seek help, support, guidance and assurance from others; and submission in interpersonal exchanges). Dependency is one of the most important psychological problems, which can be seen either in an individual level or in a social level. Dependency makes people irresponsible and also makes the society inefficient (Knauth & Skowron, 2004). Maeda et al., believe that the most important characteristics in dependent people are fear, the feeling of being invaluable and insecure. The eligibility and value of dependent people is determined by others, i.e. a dependent person considers himself/herself a valueless and unimportant person if he/she does not receive complements or approval from others (Bornstein, R.F, 2000). Since dependent people have not recognized their own abilities, they find themselves unable to achieve their goals without the presence of others. The main signs of dependency are fear and the feeling of being insecure. In a true relationship, there is no stress and tension; but a dependent person is always afraid of separation. Jealousy, obsessive control and limiting freedom are other signs off dependency (Torberg and Lyorz, 2006). Over the last two decades, there has been an increasing interest in the examination of the concept of interpersonal dependency, because it is important in terms of communicational dynamism and personal health (Alonso et al., 2002). Huprich, et al., (2004) conducted a study for the purpose of examining the relationship between dependency and social skills and depression; they showed that the level of social skills and interpersonal dependency determine the likelihood of depression. Sanathara et al., 2003, in their examination of the relationship between interpersonal dependency and major depression, showed that dependency might lead to long-term major depressive disorder. Pritchard & Yalch (2009), in their examination of the relationship between loneliness, interpersonal dependency and eating disorder, showed that loneliness acts as an intermediary in the relationship between interpersonal dependency and dissatisfaction with body. Vang et al., (204), in their study called "interpersonal dependency and daily emotions", showed that there is a strong relationship between high interpersonal dependency and an unfriendly understanding of social relationships and, finally, negative emotions. On the other hand, one of the factors influencing motivation, behavior and personality is assertiveness. Assertiveness is one off the most important social skills, which solidifies interpersonal relationships and helps to retain them. Long and Jocobsky (977, according to Saeedian and Nili, 39) believe that assertiveness comprises the ability to attain rights and the ability to express emotions, thoughts and beliefs in a proper, honest and direct way, so that other people's rights are not neglected. Weak communicational skills can lead to weak relationships and increase tension. Lin et al., 2009, believe that one of the elements in interpersonal relationships is the proper use of assertiveness; those with weak assertiveness cause themselves and others multiple problems. People with weak assertiveness do not consider any rights for themselves in terms of beliefs, emotions; and they do not find their emotions to others' emotions. They are unable to complain about others' inappropriate behaviors and find their own demands unimportant. Berna and Sovari (20) showed that there is a meaningful relationship between assertiveness, loneliness and selfesteem. Jalali and Pour Mohammadi (200) showed that there is a meaningful relationship between assertiveness, psychological health and self-esteem. In addition, Makhija, M. & Singh, P (200), showed that assertiveness has a meaningful relationship with self-confidence an educational progress. Landazabal, 22

4 200, showed that the assertiveness training program can improve beliefs, awareness, self-esteem, selfefficiency and public health. Considering, on the one hand, the importance of assertiveness in personal and social life's different aspects and its relationship with components such as mental health and life quality, and, on the other hand, considering the effect of interpersonal dependency and assertiveness on interpersonal issues and various mental features, the present study is aiming to decide if interpersonal dependency an assertiveness have a relationship with students' self-efficiency. Moreover, if such a relationship is seen, what percentage of students' self-efficiency can be predicted by interpersonal dependency and assertiveness indexes? Methodology Since the present study is trying to examine the relationship of interpersonal dependency and assertiveness with self-efficiency, it used a descriptive-correlational method. The statistical population of the study consisted of all of Tehran's Central Azad University between the years of 202 and 203. This unit comprised eleven colleges and forty thousand students in different majors. There were 300 participants (76 men and 24 women) who were selected using the cluster random sampling method. Data-collecting tools include interpersonal dependency, assertiveness and self-efficiency questionnaires. The interpersonal dependency questionnaire was provided by Hershfild et al., 977, in order to evaluate thoughts, behavior an emotions that are related to intimacy with important people in life. This questionnaire had 48 terms and 3 sub-scales, i.e. emotional dependency, lack of confidence and independence. The respondents answer questions in a multiple-choice Likert scale; the scoring criteria is: =not at all, 2=a little, 3=almost, 4=completely. Hershfild et al., 997, used the SPSS method and calculated the reliability of the questionnaire to be 0.72 and 0.9; and Bornstein, R.F, 997, after 84 weeks, using the retest method, calculated the reliability of the questionnaire to be 0.7. Pritchard & Yalch, 2008, using the SPSS method, calculated the reliability of the questionnaire for the three factors, i.e. emotional dependency (0.86), lack of confidence (0.76) and dependence (0.84). The general self-efficiency questionnaire was provided by Sherer M, Maddux JE (982), which included 7 questions being scored based on the five-point Likert scale (from 0 to 5). Therefore, the score of 85 showed high self-efficiency, 5 showed medium self-efficiency, and 7 showed low selfefficiency. This scale measures three aspects: : behavior beginning, 2: tendency to do more efforts to complete tasks, 3: resisting obstacles. Sherer M, Maddux JE, 982, reported the coefficient of this scale to be Barati Bakhtiari (996), using the Spearman Brown SPSS method, calculated the validity of the self-efficiency scale to be 0.76, and using the Gautman SPSS method, calculated it to be 0.76, and using the Cronbach s alpha, calculated it to be In the present study, the reliability of the test was 0.78, using the Cronbach s alpha coefficient. Gambril and Rigi's assertiveness questionnaire (975) has been provided to evaluate assertiveness level. This questionnaire consists of 40 questions which have been modified in the Iranian version, being narrowed down to 22 questions. Each item of the test shows a condition which requires assertiveness. The responses are scored in a Likert five-point scale. Gambril and Rigi, 975, reported the reliability coefficient of the questionnaire to be 0.8. The reliability coefficient of the Iranian version, using the "retest" method, was 0.82 (Hagi Hasani et a.l, 202). In the present study, the Cronbach s alpha coefficient (0.79) of the questionnaire was obtained. Also, the validity of the three questionnaires was measured; and the questionnaires were approved by corresponding experts. The analysis of the data obtained from the implementation of the questionnaires was done using the SPSS software in two sections: descriptive (mean, variance, standard deviation) and inferential (Pearson correlation coefficient and Regression Analysis). Findings 23

5 Self-efficiency assertiveness Interpersonal dependency (total score) dependence Lack of confidence Emotional dependency In this section, research findings are examined. In table, descriptive features of variables are given. Table : Mean and standard deviation of interpersonal dependency, assertiveness and selfefficiency Standard Deviation Mean Emotional Dependency Lack of confidence dependence Interpersonal dependency (total score) assertiveness Self-efficiency As it can be seen in table, the obtained mean for interpersonal dependency, assertiveness and selfefficiency was 23.38, 56.6 and 65.27, respectively. In this section, the results obtained from Pearson Correlation test are presented in table 2, and the results obtained from the stepwise regression analysis are given in table 3. Table 2: the matrix of the correlation between the variables of the study (n = 300) variable Emotional dependency Lack of confidence Dependence Interpersonal dependency (total) assertiveness self-efficiency (P = 0.00) As shown in table 2, according to (p=0.00), the correlation between interpersonal dependency (total score), assertiveness (-0.43) and self-efficiency (-0.44) is meaningful. 24

6 model Table 3: stepwise regression analysis for the variables of interpersonal dependency, assertiveness and self-efficiency Significance 0.00 β R Adjusted correlation The square of correlation coefficient 0.22 Correlatio n coefficient 0.44 Prediction variables Interpersonal dependency assertiveness 2 As it can be seen from the results in table 2, interpersonal dependency and assertiveness variables have entered the model; so that in the model, a relationship between interpersonal dependency and selfefficiency has been obtained, which is 0.44; interpersonal dependency predicts 22 percent of selfefficiency changes. In model 2, when assertiveness is added to the model, increases a reaches It means that 32 percent of self-efficiency changes are predictable based on the level interpersonal dependency and assertiveness; here, assertiveness is 0 percent. Discussion and Conclusions Self-efficiency is one of the important mental features which increases the chance of success in various activities such as educational progress, career success, beneficial communication with others, and generally satisfaction and mental health. Hence, it is really important to learn about the factors relating to and affecting it. The present study was done to examine the relationship of interpersonal dependency and assertiveness with self-efficiency. As it can be seen from the "findings" section, there is negative correlation between interpersonal dependency and self-efficiency; and there is positive meaningful correlation between assertiveness and self-efficiency. Also, according to the results of the regression analysis of interpersonal dependency and assertiveness, about 32 percent of self-efficiency changes are predicted. Generally, the findings of this study are in line with the results of the studies conducted by Vang et al. (204), Makhija, M. & singh (200), Landazabal (200), Galali and Por Mohammadi (200), Burna and Sovari (20), Lin et al., (2009), Pritchard and Yalch (2009), Sanatra et al. (2003), Khazayi et al. (204), Mathisen, G. E., & Bronnick (2009), and Rudba (2006) and Maeda et al., (2007). Bandura, A (997) believes that comprehended self-efficiency is one's perception of his/her ability to do planned tasks, progress and control important life events. In other words, self-efficiency is associated with optimistic views in stressful situations. Compared to other optimism concepts, comprehended selfefficiency explicitly refers to one's Competence when facing difficulties. According to Torberg and Lyorz (2006), since dependent people do not know their capabilities and do not believe in them, they think that they can't achieve their goals without the presence of others. Hence fear and a feeling of insecurity are the main characteristics of interpersonal dependency. The value and the eligibility of a dependent person are determined by others, i.e. if on does not receive others' approval or admiration, he/she feels valueless and inefficient (Bornstein, 2000). While people with high self-efficiency persist in their competences, motivations and wills, they might set big goals and make great efforts to achieve their goals, in spite of others' disagreement with their goals. But dependent people have big doubt about 25

7 their goals and or them keeping in touch with people they rely on is more important than achieving goals. Knauth & Skowron, 2004, believe that dependency causes irresponsibility and forms an inefficient society in individual and social levels. On the other hand, having an appropriate relationship with others, explicit and wise expression of goals, interests, demands, beliefs and if necessary request for help and assistance from those with high self-efficiency, helps them to have other people's support in order to reach their goals. The ability to express anger, hatred, happiness and other emotions properly is one of the characteristics of people who have high assertiveness, which enhances interpersonal relations, leading to more opportunities and competencies for people, which influences one's future success and the feeling of self-efficiency. According to Lin et al., 2009, people who have low assertiveness do not consider rights for themselves in terms of beliefs, emotions, and they do not accept their emotional similarity to others; they find themselves unable to protest against others' inappropriate behaviors and find their own demands unimportant. Finally, note that there are many prerequisites for having a healthy, happy, efficient and dynamic society. One of these prerequisites is the feeling of self-efficiency in people, which itself requires many skills and backgrounds. Based on the result of the study, it can be said that as people's skills, connected to assertiveness, increase, there not only is hope about an increase in people's self-efficiency but we can see a decrease in pathological dependency (a variable that has a negative relationship with selfefficiency) which results from not knowing competences and not knowing how to properly express them. References Borna, M.R. and Savari, K. (20). Simple and multiple relationship of self-esteem, aloneness and assertiveness with timidness. New Findings in Psychology. Y. 5, No. 7. Jalali, M. and Pour Mohammadi, E. (200). Effectiveness of education of assertiveness on psychological health and self-esteem of teenagers. Thought and Behavior, Vol. 5, No. 7, Autumn 200. Khazaie, F., Sha'iri, M.R., Heidari Nasab, L. and Jalali, M.R. (204). Comparison between selfeffectiveness, self-esteem, social anxiety, timidness and aggression among high school students with different assertion level. Journal of Feiz, Vol. 8, No. 3, August and September 204. Saidian, F. and Nili, M.R. (202). Study of impact of assertiveness training on social adjustment and positive self-concept of female-headed households, Y. 2, No. 6, spring 202. Asgari, S., Kahrizi, S. and Kahrizi, M. (203). Role of self-effectiveness and life satisfaction in prediction of educational performance of high school female students in Kermanshah, Journal of School Psychology. Vol. 2, No. 2, summer 203. Alonso-Arbiol, I. Shaver, P.R., & Yarnoz, S. (2002). Insecure attachment, gender roles, and interpersonal dependency in the Basque Country. Personal Relationships, 9, Bandura, A. (997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.Putwain, D. Sander, P. & Larkin, D. (202). Academic self-efficacy in study-related skills and behaviours: relations with learning-related emotions and academic success. Bandura, A. (999). A Social cognitive theory of personality. Handbook of personality. p.p

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