Factor Analysis of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension-24: Replication and Extension

Abstract

Prior work indicates items for the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension share one common factor, apprehension about interpersonal encounters. Employing a revised measure of apprehension, factor analysis of responses of 160 male and 144 female undergraduates to these two scales yielded five factors: apprehension about communicating in groups and meetings, apprehension in interpersonal contexts, apprehension in public speaking contexts, preventing others from taking advantage, and contentiousness. Only one common factor, apprehension in interpersonal contexts, was shared by items from both scales.