Evaluating Assertive Communication to Support Sustainable Online Teaching in Higher Education

Introduction: Assertive communication is a fundamental component of effective teaching, particularly in the context of the increasing shift toward online higher education. Despite its importance, there is a need for validated instruments specifically designed to assess assertive communication in online teaching environments. The present study aims to examine the psychometric properties and factorial structure of the Assertive Communication Scale in Online Teaching (ACSOT). Methods: The study involved 374 students from “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacău, Romania. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to investigate the factorial structure of the ACSOT. Correlational analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among the identified dimensions, and group differences were assessed by gender and age. Results: The exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure comprising expressiveness, communicativeness, and conflict management. Significant positive correlations were found among the three dimensions. Gender differences indicated that women demonstrated stronger conflict management skills than men. Age-related differences showed that older participants reported higher levels of assertive communication in terms of expressiveness and communicativeness compared to younger participants. Conclusions: The findings support the factorial validity of the ACSOT and suggest that the instrument is a reliable tool for assessing assertive communication in online teaching contexts. The identified gender and age differences underscore the importance of considering demographic variables when developing training programs designed to enhance assertive communication skills in higher education.