ESCALA DE HABILIDADES ASSERTIVAS PARA ADOLESCENTES: PROCESSO DE CONSTRUÇÃO E VALIDAÇÃO

Abstract

Adolescence is a phase permeated by several physical, psychological and emotional changes. Such changes demonstrate the need to develop a repertoire of assertive skills, in order to help adolescents to be successful in interpersonal relationships, as well as to avoid problematic behaviors and psychological disorders, such as anxiety. In this sense, the literature points out the importance of evaluating assertiveness, signaling a gap when it comes to psychological instruments available for adolescents in Brazil, which is aggravated by the specificity of the theme. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a new psychological instrument for assessing assertiveness, specifically the Assertive Skills Scale for Adolescents (EHA-A). For this, two studies were carried out, and discussed as part of a larger research entitled Assertiveness and Mental Health in Adolescents. In Study 1, the EHA-A items were constructed and evidence of content validity was raised through the analysis of judges (N=4). In addition, a semantic analysis of the items was carried out, with the participation of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years old (N=22). In Study 2, we developed the illustrated version of the EHA-A. Together, these studies present initial evidence of the instrument's content validity, with a high agreement among the judges regarding the pertinence, relevance and clarity of the proposed items, as well as good levels of semantic understanding by the target population, in addition to offering an illustrated version for the items. These results collaborate with the general scope of the psychometric investigation about the construct validity and accuracy of the EHA-A, supporting the development of new studies regarding these aspects.