Demographic Correlates of Assertiveness, Social Skills, and Psychological Well-Being among Public University Students in Malaysia

This study investigates the demographic correlates of assertiveness, social skills, and psychological well-being among undergraduate students in Malaysian public universities.A total of 1,206 first-year students participated in the survey.To ensure representativeness, a multistage sampling approach was employed, which involved cluster sampling of universities across different regions followed by proportionate stratified random sampling of students.The study utilized three validated instruments, namely the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS), the Social Skills Inventory (SSI-Del-Prette), and Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scales.Reliability analysis demonstrated strong internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.93 for the RAS, 0.94 for the SSI, and 0.88 for Ryff's PWB.The results revealed no significant gender differences in any of the three domains.However, significant variations emerged by field of study and socioeconomic status (SES).Students in the Social Sciences reported higher levels of assertiveness, social skills, and psychological well-being compared to those in Science and Technology, while students from higher SES backgrounds consistently demonstrated stronger outcomes across all domains.These findings highlight the influence of structural and disciplinary contexts on psychosocial development.The study contributes theoretically to the understanding of psychosocial competencies in collectivist societies, offers practical insights for higher education policy, and underscores the importance of promoting equity in student development.