This structured worksheet helps clients identify the beliefs and assumptions that make it difficult to communicate assertively.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Beliefs about assertiveness can influence how people communicate. For instance, clients may understand what assertive communication entails but struggle express themselves due to concerns about conflict, rejection, criticism, guilt, or appearing selfish. This worksheet helps clients become more aware of these beliefs so they can be re-evaluated and tested through behavioral experiments.
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Testing beliefs about judgment, rejection, or negative evaluation during assertive interactions.
Identifying worries and concerns about self-expression.
Addressing beliefs that contribute to passivity, low confidence, or difficulty expressing needs.
Helping clients identify beliefs about burdening others, appearing selfish, or not being entitled to one's needs.
Clarifying beliefs that interfere with direct, honest, and respectful communication in relationships.
Explain that beliefs about assertiveness can influence how people communicate and sometimes hold them back.
Invite the client to finish the sentence completion task.
Go through the example beliefs and mark any additional statements the client relates to.
Help the client identify the beliefs that are most relevant.
Choose appropriate next steps, such as cognitive restructuring or behavioral experiments.
Assertiveness is regarded as an effective communication style across many situations. Various theoretical models have been used to account for assertive and non-assertive communication. According to cognitive models, information processing and cognitions (e.g., negative beliefs and outcome expectations) plays a key role in shaping how people communicate (e.g., Vagos and Pereira, 2016).
Consequently, many assertiveness programs target the beliefs that hinder assertive communication (e.g., Hagberg et al., 2023; Jakubowski & Lange, 1978; Paterson, 2022; Wolfe & Fodor, 1975). Common cognitive interventions include psychoeducation (e.g., providing information that counters negative beliefs; Jacobs & Cochran, 1982), self-instructional training (e.g., Craighead, 1979; Kazdin & Mascitelli, 1982), problem-solving (e.g., Twentyman et al., 1980), imagery techniques (e.g., Tiegerman & Kassinove, 1977), and behavioral experiments (e.g., Hagberg et al., 2023).
Cognitive restructuring has also been used, which typically involves identifying, exploring, and re-evaluating maladaptive beliefs that obstruct assertive communication (e.g., Carmody, 1978; Kaplan, 1982; Linehan et al., 1979). This technique is sometimes combined with other cognitive interventions, such as self-instructional training and mental imagery (e.g., Tiegerman & Kassinove, 1977).
Tasks for helping clients identify problematic beliefs that hinder assertiveness.
Therapist instructions and suggested questions.
Completed examples showing how the worksheet can be used in practice.
Recommendations for further reading.
This worksheet can help clients:
Identify beliefs that hinder assertive communication.
Work towards challenging and testing out these beliefs.
Understand why they struggle with self-expression.
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