Assertiveness predicts threat and challenge reactions to potential stress among women

In this study assertiveness as a moderator of stress reactions among women was examined. Specifically, the experimenters examined how high and low ass ertive women cognitively appraised, affectively and physiologically respond ed to, and behaviorally coped with the stress of giving an impromptu speech . High assertive women appraised the speech stressor as challenging, wherea s low assertive women appraised the stressor as threatening. High assertive women also had a challenge pattern of autonomic response during the task, compared with the threat response of low assertive women. Afterward, the hi gh assertive women reported experiencing less stress and negative emotion a nd greater positive emotion than did the low assertive women. Overall, the high assertive women's stress-related reactions indicated challenge, wherea s the low assertive women's reactions indicated threat (see J. Tomaka, J. B lascovich, R. M. Kelsey, & C. L. Leitten, 1993).