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Learning Objective 1: The purpose of this study was to use J-RAS to clarify the state in communication ability of attendees.
Learning Objective 2: The Japanese version of the Rathus assertiveness schedule (J-RAS) examines communication ability from the perspective of self-assertion.
Methods: The subjects were day care attendees (n = 1272) diagnosed with schizophrenia. A questionnaire survey, which mostly comprised questions regarding J-RAS and their backgrounds, was sent out by post. The survey was conducted from September to November, 2007. Statistical methods were used for analysis of collected data.
Results: Data of 575 attendees (45.2%) [393 males (68.3%) and 182 females (31.7%); age, 46.9 ± 12.8 years] who participated in the study and answered all questions were considered. The period of attendance was 53.8 ± 47.8 months. We found the assertiveness score to be −7.3 ± 20.8 points (minimum score: −67 points; maximum score: 65 points) on examining communication ability. It became clear that communication ability of the attendees exhibited greater individual variation than average adults in the literature. We compared differences in assertiveness scores depending on the presence or absence of attendance objectives. Results showed that attendees whose objective was ‘to give myself goals’ scored −5.3 ± 19.8 points and attendees for whom this was not an objective scored −8.8 ± 21.5 points. Attendees whose objective was ‘to give myself goals’ had higher assertiveness scores than attendees for whom this was not an objective (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in assertiveness scores for other attendance objectives.
Conclusion: This study clarified that there was a considerable individual variation in communication ability of attendees and revealed all the possible objectives for attendance. Therefore, providing an attendee with a goal may lead to improvement in his/her communication ability.