Behavioral and bodily self concept changes after assertive training. A pilot study.

The study aims at finding correlations between the development of assertiveness through assertive training and the modification of the bodily self concept (or body image). Eleven social phobic patients (6 women, 5 men, mean age 31.5) are treated in two groups and measured by Rathus's assertiveness schedule, and Osgood's semantic differential (key concepts: my self, my body, my voice, my gestures, my look; control concept: a table). At post test and follow-up (between 6 and 9 months), an ANOVA shows a significant positive change in assertiveness (p 0.001), correlated with modifications in bodily self concept. The patients are rating their body and their look as more active and stronger, but the body is perceived as more dangerous (p 0.05). No change appears in the other key concepts and the control concept. The interrelation between behavioral and cognitive changes are discussed.