Abstract

OTERO BOCANEGRA, Paola Cynthia; CONDESO CAMIZAN, Selman Dennis; VILLANUEVA BUTRON, Groover Valenty  and  CASTILLO PALACIOS, Freddy William. Assertive communication in higher education: A systematic literature review (2015-2025). Revista InveCom [online]. 2026, vol.6, n.2, e602096.  Epub Sep 30, 2025. ISSN 2739-0063.  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17051047.

Assertive communication is recognized as an essential skill for the comprehensive development of university students, as it promotes healthy interpersonal relationships, clear expression of ideas, and active participation in academic and professional contexts. This study presents a systematic review of the scientific literature published between 2015 and 2025, with the aim of identifying, analyzing, and synthesizing evidence on the relevance and impact of assertive communication in higher education. The search was conducted in the Scopus and SciELO databases, applying the PRISMA (2020)statement to ensure transparency and methodological rigor. Twenty-three peer-reviewed, open-access articles in Spanish and English with clearly defined methodologies were included. The results were organized into four dimensions: social-emotional skills, improvement of the educational environment, pedagogical and institutional management, and values and personal development. The evidence shows that assertive communication strengthens teamwork, optimizes teacher-student interaction, fosters inclusive learning environments, and contributes to improved academic performance. Likewise, gaps were identified related to the absence of structured programs and the limited integration of digital strategies for their development. It is concluded that the incorporation of assertive communication into the university curriculum is essential to improve comprehensive training and professional skills, and it is recommended that it be addressed through interdisciplinary approaches and active methodologies.

Keywords : assertive communication; university skills; interpersonal communication.

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