Comparison of Anger Expression, Assertive Behavior, and Self-esteem between a Nursing Student Group and an Educational Student Group

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to compare the degree of anger expression, assertive behavior, and self-esteem between a nursing student group and an educational student group, and to identify factors affecting their self-esteem. METHODS: This study adopted the descriptive comparative design. Data were collected by interviewing 97 nursing students and 89 educational students from three nursing schools and one educational school in Daegu, Korea from November to December, 2008. RESULTS: Major findings of this study were as follows. 1) The educational student group had a higher self-esteem score than the nursing student group. 2) There were significant correlations among anger expression, assertive behavior, and self-esteem. 3) Self-esteem was significantly associated with Grade Point Average (GPA) and assertive behavior in the nursing student group with 17.2% variance, and with assertive behavior and anger-out in the educational student group with 24.1% variance. CONCLUSION: These results may contribute to better understanding of hurt, anger expression, assertive behavior, and self-esteem in nursing students and educational students. Based on the results, there, it is required to develop programs that prompt students' self-esteem.