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Research has yet to fully explain the processes through which feedback affects student outcomes. The majority of research has also focused on feedback from an instructor's perspective. Guided by feedback intervention theory (FIT; Kluger, A. N., & DeNisi, A. [1996]. The effect of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory. Psychological Bulletin, 119[2], 254–284. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.119.2.254), and using longitudinal online survey data from students in an undergraduate introductory communication course at a 4-year university (N = 2,523), we found that self-efficacy mediated the relationship between perceived feedback effectiveness and both PSA and CC, playing a positive role in increasing students’ CC and decreasing their PSA. Various feedback orientations, especially feedback sensitivity and confidentiality, exerted moderating and/or conditional indirect effects on our proposed feedback cycle. These findings advance scholarly knowledge of the feedback cycle according to FIT, repositioning self-efficacy as a critical mediator. They also speak to the importance of understanding how students’ feedback orientations can dampen or strengthen the positive impact of effective feedback on public speaking outcomes. Additional theoretical implications and pedagogical recommendations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a necessary skill for learners to express themselves proficiently, speaking has always been an important goal in EFL learning. Despite its importance, many learners experience varying levels of anxiety that disturbs or even constrains their speaking performance. This study aims to examine levels of public speaking anxiety among Saudi EFL university students and frequencies of different types of self-talk implementation. The study also investigates the relationship between self-talk and PSA and the learner's perceptions of these two variables. The results of the study showed that more than half of the participants (53.2%) were highly anxious while the remaining participants were either moderate or low anxious as represented by almost equal percentages (24.8%), (22%) respectively. The study also indicated that all participants had either moderate or high frequency of self-talk and its subcategories while no participants had low frequency of both total and subcategories of self-talk. The findings also proved that there was a negative correlation between public speaking anxiety and self-reinforcement. Qualitative analysis supported quantitative results in this study and some important recommendations were suggested based on the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking anxiety is a prevalent issue with significant negative impacts. While virtual reality exposure therapy is an effective treatment, it currently has significant limitations. This study outlines the design process of a new VR platform that seeks to make virtual reality exposure therapy more effective and more accessible. To increase accessibility, the platform is open access and accessible via multiple devices and operating systems. To increase efficacy, the concept of overexposure therapy was developed: training in extreme scenarios that one is unlikely to encounter in real life. For example, on the platform, users can practice public speaking in a highly distracting stadium environment to a virtual reality audience of 10,000 photorealistic spectators. A single-session experiment with 29 adolescents evaluated the platform's impact on public speaking anxiety, confidence, and enjoyment. Results showed significant improvements in all three measures. These findings suggest that this novel approach holds promise. The paper concludes by exploring limitations and areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign language anxiety (FLA) has drawn a considerable amount of attention in recent decades. However, the anxiety that EFL learners experience during public speaking has been relatively underexplored. Thus, this study explored the effects of personality traits and self-perceived public speaking competence on public speaking anxiety (PSA). A total of 205 university students in China participated in a questionnaire gauging EFL learners' PSA, personality and self-perceived public speaking competence. SPSS, version 27, was used for data analysis, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The first finding revealed significant associations between PSA and Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism, with Neuroticism showing the strongest correlation with PSA. The second result indicated that self-perceived public speaking competence negatively correlated with PSA, with 9 out of the 17 aspects of overall public speaking competence showing significant correlations with PSA. In addition, this study revealed significant associations between self-perceived public speaking competence and Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism. This study has pedagogical implications for educators to help EFL learners better combat anxiety in public speaking settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Public speaking skills are crucial skills for medical students, enabling effective communication in their academic and future professional roles. However, public speaking anxiety (PSA) can hinder their full potential and warrant early intervention. This study aims to determine the prevalence of PSA and associated factors among medical undergraduates at a Malaysian public university. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated and reliable online self-administered questionnaire. The Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) questionnaire was used to assess PSA level and other factors such as sociodemographic, English proficiency level, public speaking training and experience, and the CompACT questionnaire for psychological flexibility. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: The analysis included a total of 362 respondents. The prevalence of moderate and high PSA was 49.3%. There was a significant association between race, psychological flexibility, public speaking experience, public speaking training, and PSA (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that having high to moderate PSA was significantly linked to being 19-21 years old (AOR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.081-2.678) and never having had public speaking training (AOR: 1.865, 95% CI: 1.067-3.261). On the other hand, being more psychologically flexible was a protective factor (AOR: 0.944, 95% CI: 0.925-0.964). Conclusion: The high prevalence of PSA among medical students highlights the need for early recognition, screening, and intervention within the education system. Incorporating public speaking training and interventions to enhance psychological flexibility within the curriculum can be beneficial to prevent PSA for better-quality graduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking is a crucial component of many higher education courses and is essential for students' academic performance and future career success. Despite its importance, public speaking anxiety is a common issue among higher education students, adversely impacting their learning. Addressing this anxiety through targeted interventions, especially for the most at-risk students, is vital. This study provides insights into the demographic predictors of public speaking anxiety, using a sample of 1745 students from a large public university in the Czech Republic. We employed the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker in a short form to assess public speaking anxiety levels. Our multivariate regression analysis identified gender, type of high school, and study level as significant predictors of public speaking anxiety, whereas age, nationality, and field of study were not. The study found that women, non-binary individuals, graduates of academic high schools, and bachelor's students are more prone to public speaking anxiety. These findings highlight the need for targeted intervention and support strategies for students with higher levels of public speaking anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking anxiety is a prevalent issue with significant negative impacts. While virtual reality exposure therapy is an effective treatment, it currently has significant limitations. This study outlines the design process of a new VR platform that seeks to make virtual reality exposure therapy more effective and more accessible. To increase accessibility, the platform is open access and accessible via multiple devices and operating systems. To increase efficacy, the concept of overexposure therapy was developed: training in extreme scenarios that one is unlikely to encounter in real life. For example, on the platform, users can practice public speaking in a highly distracting stadium environment to a virtual reality audience of 10,000 photorealistic spectators. A single-session experiment with 29 adolescents evaluated the platform’s impact on public speaking anxiety, confidence, and enjoyment. Results showed significant improvements in all three measures. These findings suggest that this novel approach holds promise. The paper concludes by exploring limitations and areas for future research.

Public speaking is a less practiced issue in Bangladesh as it is not included in academic curricula in any tier of education. The fear of public speaking, especially in English, is common among many Bangladeshi university students. To better understand this matter, 19 in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions were carried out among public and private university students in Bangladesh, keeping gender, class, urban, rural, and regional variation in mind. This research integrates Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Bourdieu’s concept of linguistic capital to examine how socio-cultural, institutional, and psycholinguistic factors influence public speaking anxiety among university students in Bangladesh. The findings show that educational institutions and socio-cultural issues impact students’ public speaking skills at the university level. In addition, psycholinguistic factors such as negative self-perception and linguistic fluency are the most common causes of fear of public speaking in English. The findings implicate that enhancing communication education across all levels and fostering supportive environments could mitigate this anxiety, potentially improving students’ academic and professional prospects. Further research engaging a wider population is necessary for policy formulation, which might facilitate the culture of public speaking among students of all levels of education.

The analysis of brain signals and their properties yields significant insights into the fundamental neural impairments associated with attention bias in individuals suffering from public speaking anxiety (PSA). This study aims to identify electroencephalogram (EEG) and performance biomarkers of attention bias in individuals with public speaking anxiety using the ex-Gaussian modeling technique, frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) and deltabeta correlation (DBC). 12 subjects with high (H) PSA and 12 subjects with low (L) PSA performed the modified emotional stroop task. EEG data were captured using the low-cost 14-channel emotiv Epoc+. Results showed that the ex-Gaussian sigma was higher in the emotional condition in the high public speaking anxiety (HPSA) group, indicating attention bias. The study also found higher right FAA in HPSA compared to LPSA group. There was a negative correlation between s and alpha power in the left region of the brain in the HPSA group, potentially related to attentional bias. Moreover, there was a notable trend towards significantly heightened DBC in the frontal and central regions of the brain among HPSA subjects. In conclusion, in biomedical engineering, the ex-Gaussian model, FAA and DBC are useful because they can identify EEG and performance biomarkers of attention bias in people with PSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking is considered the most anxiety-provoking speaking activity for English as a foreign language (EFL) learner. While traditional lecture-based classrooms hinder EFL learners' constant practice and frequent interaction due to large class sizes and limited time, recent developments in technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automatic Speech Analysis, and Virtual Reality (VR), may enhance language learning by offering accessible and personalized learning experiences. This study aimed to investigate the effects of technology-enhanced learning on reducing EFL learners' PSA. Thirty-three university students were divided into three groups and received either lecture-based, mobile-assisted, or VR-facilitated instruction for four weeks. The students' perceived PSA levels were reduced in all three groups after their respective instruction, but only the VR-facilitated group reached statistical significance, and there were no differences in the three groups' final oral performances. However, the two technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) groups achieved more convergent performances on the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety scale compared with the non-TELL group, which indicated that the impact of individual differences may have been compensated by technology assistance. The findings suggested that the instructional feedback generated by AI decreased the participants' PSA, although the irreplaceable role of teachers as facilitators was also emphasized, while the potential of using VR in teaching public speaking was evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is especially prevalent among young individuals aged 18–25 and significantly affects daily social activities and interpersonal relationships. Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA), a subtype of SAD, is a widespread concern that affects one in five individuals. The study focuses on the Public Speaking Anxiety Scale (PSAS), with the aim of assessing the factor structure and reliability of the Lithuanian version (PSAS-LT). The PSAS-LT, administered to 227 participants aged 18–25, comprises 17 Likert-scaled items, evaluating cognitive, behavioral, and physiological aspects of PSA. Three models were tested: a single-factor model, a three-factor model and a single factor model with positive and negative item wording factors model. Results indicate less than desirable fit for the single, and three-factor models, suggesting the need for alternative structures. The model that included a single factor as well as positive and negative item wording factors demonstrated a reasonably good fit. The diagnostic validity confirmed that the PSAS-LT effectively differentiated between participants with and without history of anxiety disorders. The total score of the PSAS-LT had excellent internal consistency. Despite limitations, including convenience sampling and nonrepresentative sample, the study contributes valuable insights into refining the understanding of PSA assessment features, emphasizing the importance of considering response patterns. Future research should validate these findings with larger and more diverse samples of the Lithuanian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate learning motivation and self-efficacy among seventh graders. The result of the findings was the low of confidence in public speaking, business writing, and the lack of interest in English culture, history and literature. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was utilized, involving 283 seventh grade learners from one of the schools in Cluster 1 Division of Pampanga. The result of the study showed that the respondents have low confidence in writing an English letter, are afraid of public speaking, and lack interest in English cultural content. On the other hand, they see English as a tool for their future when they seek jobs or travel abroad, and they also see English as their motivation to study hard for their future career. Furthermore, the study also discovered connection between the two variables. Learning motivation could result from the positive outcomes of the students' insight when it comes to English; they would motivate themselves to master English. Although self-efficacy will determine their beliefs about their ability to learn, these learning motivations and self-efficacy further contribute to improving the learning confidence of a student. Finally, the findings have significance for boosting confidence and improving the abilities of the learners. Providing opportunities for students to use English in supportive environments, making English learning relevant and engaging, and helping students develop positive self-efficacy beliefs about their ability to learn English should be the main goals of interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking is a communication ability that is expressed in social contexts. Public speaking anxiety consists of the fear of giving a speech or a presentation and the perception of being badly judged by others. Such feelings can impair the performance and physiological activation of the presenter. In this study, eighty participants, most naive in Virtual Reality experience, underwent one of four virtual reality public speaking scenarios. Four different conditions were tested in a between-group design, where the audience could express positive or negative non-verbal behavior (in terms of body gesture and facial expression), together with positive or adverse questions raised during a question-and-answer session (Q&A). The primary outcomes concerned the virtual audience behavior's effect on perceived anxiety and physiological arousal. In general, perceived anxiety seemed to be unaffected neither by the verbal nor non-verbal behavior of the audience. Nevertheless, experimental manipulation showed a higher susceptibility to public speaking anxiety in those participants who scored higher on the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) than those with lower Social Interaction Anxiety Scale scores. Specifically, in the case where the verbal attitude was negative, high SIAS trait participants reported a higher level of anxiety. Participants' physiological arousal was also affected by the proposed scenarios. Participants dealing with an approving audience and encouraging Q&A reported increased skin conductance response. The lack of correlation between reported anxiety and skin conductance response might suggest a physiological engagement in an interactive exchange with the virtual audience rather than a form of discomfort during the task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) interventions targeting adolescents exist; however, not all gain improvement. This exploratory study investigated whether PSA interventions resulted in a decrease in perfectionism and whether pre-treatment level and changes in perfectionism moderated the effects on PSA and social anxiety. The sample consisted of 100 adolescents from junior high schools randomized to four groups: 1) VR only (n = 20), 2) VR + online exposure program (n = 20), 3) online psychoeducation and online exposure program (n = 40), 4) waitlist and online psychoeducation program (n = 20). Self-reported symptoms of PSA, social anxiety, and perfectionism were measured at pre, week 3, post, and 3-months follow-up. Level and change in outcome variables were analyzed using latent growth curve modeling. Results revealed that the interventions did not lead to a reduction in perfectionism. Reduction in perfectionism was associated with a larger reduction in all outcome measures from post to follow-up. No interaction was found between pre-treatment perfectionism and PSA symptoms. High pre-treatment levels of perfectionism were associated with poorer outcomes on social anxiety symptoms from post to follow-up for online exposure groups. The results indicate that one should assess and address high pre-treatment levels of perfectionism during PSA interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) offers immense freedom in the design of virtual instructional environments, but little guidance exists on how to capitalise on this freedom. This article reports on a study exploring how audience familiarity influences public speaking anxiety (PSA) and performance in a presentation speaking task in virtuo and in situ. Questionnaire instruments were used to gauge the PSA, motivation, focus, and self-confidence of 10 undergraduate students who each presented in four different audience conditions across VR and real life. Presentations were transcribed to identify features of performance, including utterance fluency, and speaking breadth and depth. Outcomes indicated that an audience of computer-generated agents resulted in less PSA than an audience of photorealistic people familiar to the speakers. Additionally, presenting to an audience of strangers in real life induced the most anxiety, but the performance features of articulation rate, disfluencies, and frequency of silent pauses were significantly improved in this condition. The main contribution of this study is to show that presentations directed at virtual audiences exhibit less fluent speech in non-native speakers than speeches to a real audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking is a communication ability that is expressed in social contexts. Public speaking anxiety consists of the fear of giving a speech or a presentation and the perception of being badly judged by others. Such feelings can impair the performance and physiological activation of the presenter. In this study, eighty participants, most naive in Virtual Reality experience, underwent one of four virtual reality public speaking scenarios. Four different conditions were tested in a between-group design, where the audience could express positive or negative non-verbal behavior (in terms of body gesture and facial expression), together with positive or adverse questions raised during a question-and-answer session (Q&A). The primary outcomes concerned the virtual audience behavior’s effect on perceived anxiety and physiological arousal. In general, perceived anxiety seemed to be unaffected neither by the verbal nor non-verbal behavior of the audience. Nevertheless, experimental manipulation showed a higher susceptibility to public speaking anxiety in those participants who scored higher on the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) than those with lower Social Interaction Anxiety Scale scores. Specifically, in the case where the verbal attitude was negative, high SIAS trait participants reported a higher level of anxiety. Participants’ physiological arousal was also affected by the proposed scenarios. Participants dealing with an approving audience and encouraging Q&A reported increased skin conductance response. The lack of correlation between reported anxiety and skin conductance response might suggest a physiological engagement in an interactive exchange with the virtual audience rather than a form of discomfort during the task.

This study evaluated the efficacy of (a) remote video‐based behavioral skills training (BST) with added speech outlines on teaching public speaking behaviors and (b) remote video‐based awareness training (AT) on speech‐disfluency rates. A multiple‐baseline design across speech behaviors was used to evaluate the training. Remote video‐based BST and AT were effective at teaching public speaking behaviors and reducing speech disfluencies, respectively, for both participants. In addition, performance generalized to increased audience size. Although expert ratings of perceived public speaking effectiveness improved following BST, the ratings did not improve and some worsened following AT. Both participants reported satisfaction with video‐based BST and AT. One participant reported greater comfort, confidence, overall ability, and less anxiety as a public speaker following BST. Both participants reported greater improvements in those categories following AT. Our results suggest that public speaking behaviors can be taught using remote video‐based BST and speech disfluencies can be reduced using remote video‐based AT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is a prevalent social anxiety affecting up to 30% of the population. Individuals with PSA often express fear of being evaluated by others and avoid eye contact. Despite this behavioral characteristic, the potential of gaze avoidance reduction as a therapeutic intervention to alleviate PSA-related anxiety remains unexplored. Methods: We designed a standalone virtual reality (VR) gaze exposure treatment focused on enhancing eye contact in public speaking contexts and evaluated its effectiveness in reducing state anxiety during public speaking. In a single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 89 participants with subclinical PSA were assigned to either a gaze exposure treatment or a control group. Assessments occurred at baseline, following a one-hour intervention, and after nine additional 20-minute home interventions. The primary outcome was state anxiety, assessed using the Subjective Units of Distress Scale during a real-life public speaking test. Results: Repeated, but not acute VR gaze exposure reduced state anxiety during public speaking compared to the control group (treatment: baseline 48.95 [SD 19.52], post-intervention 2: 26.60 [SD 19.23]; control: baseline 48.92 [SD 18.43], post-intervention 2: 56.34 [SD 28.15]; adjusted mean group difference: -29.82, 95% CI: -41.77 to -17.87; Cohen's d = -1.07, p < 0.0001). Limitations: Our study design does not allow conclusions regarding the effective component (i.e., gaze exposure vs. social context) of the intervention. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that repeated VR gaze exposure treatment in public speaking contexts can effectively reduce state anxiety during public speaking among individuals with subclinical PSA. These promising results call for further investigations in clinical populations.

Using individual differences constructs, the current study used cross-sectional data to examine the mediating role of negative self-statements during public speaking on the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and public speaking anxiety (a type of performance anxiety), and how this relationship was moderated by positive self-statements during public performance. The sample comprised 319 adults (men = 105, women = 214) from the general Australian community, with ages ranging from 18 years to 65 years. All participants completed questionnaires covering the different study variables. The findings showed that there was partial mediation by negative self-statements on the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and performance anxiety. There were also moderation effects by positive self-statements for this relationship. Additionally, moderation by positive self-statements was evident at all levels of positive self-statements. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings for public speaking anxiety are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Although formative assessment has been recognized as an effective way for improving learning, scant attention has been paid to the specific design on the sequence of applying formative assessment practice in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). Even less emphasis has been devoted to the cognitive and affective outcomes of different orders of formative assessment strategies on building students' public speaking competence. This mixed-method research employed multi-source data to explore and explain the effects of two different ways of sequencing video-based formative assessment on English language learners' public speaking anxiety and their performance. Two intact classes in a 16-week English public speaking course were randomly assigned to two groups, 25 in the self-assessment-initiated (SAI) group and 26 in the peer-assessment-initiated (PAI) group. Following two different sequences of formative practice, both groups were required to complete three formal English public speeches. Both quantitative and qualitative findings indicated that learners in the SAI group showed significantly lower public speaking anxiety than those in the PAI group, whereas learners in the PAI group showed significantly better public speaking performance. Moreover, the findings showed that SAI formative practice helped the learners to pay more attention to their delivery and anxiety levels in public speaking, while PAI formative practice may have led the learners to improve their proper use of English language. This research indicated that the sequence of implementing different modalities of assessment matters. Supported by video technology and CALL tools, different sequences in obtaining varying sources of feedback can affect students' public speaking anxiety and competence. This study provides refined understandings about the sequences of using video technology in formative practice for alleviating the learners' public speaking anxiety and improving their performance. The findings suggest that self-assessment should be arranged first for learners with a higher-level of anxiety while peer-assessment should be conducted first for learners with a lower-level of English language proficiency. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1946562. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fear of public speaking is a prevalent phobia that has a damaging impact on the lives of many phobic patients. One method to treat this phobia is the use of virtual reality (VR). A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was used to report how the publications that have examined the role of VR in treating public speaking anxiety were identified. A meta-analysis of 92 non-review publications published by January 15, 2021 was conducted. In this meta-analysis, the effectiveness of the treatment of public speaking anxiety refers to the degree of reduction in the participants' public speaking anxiety from pre-test to post-test. This meta-analysis consisted of an examination of the homogeneity of the studies (the I2 indexes), publication bias (Kendall's tau and Egger's regression values) and an estimation of the grand effect size for all studies. The three major findings of this meta-analysis are: (1) Overall, VR had a statistically significant effect on reducing public speaking anxiety, which suggests that VR is a useful and promising therapeutic tool for the treatment of public speaking anxiety; (2) Studies that found VR to be effective in the treatment of public speaking anxiety conducted an average of approximately six VR sessions, with each session lasting around 37 minutes; and (3) VR is statistically as effective as other treatment methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Therefore, rather than completely replacing other treatment methods, VR should be used to complement other treatment methods to compensate for some of their disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Public Speaking Anxiety is highly prevalent among adolescents. However, few interventions have been developed specifically for this group. This four-armed randomized trial addressed the following research questions regarding interventions for adolescents with public speaking anxiety (PSA): 1) is Virtual Reality exposure therapy (VRET) more efficacious than online psychoeducation or waitlist, and 2) is VRET followed by online exposure therapy more efficacious than VRET alone or online psychoeducation followed by online exposure therapy?Methods: Adolescents, aged 13–16 with PSA were randomized to four groups: 1) VRET + no additional intervention (n = 20); 2) VRET + online exposure program (n = 20); 3) online psychoeducation program + exposure program (n = 40); or 4) waitlist (n = 20). Self-rated PSA symptoms served as primary outcome measure, with secondary outcomes covering other social anxiety symptoms.Results: Linear mixed models revealed that there was a significant difference in the decrease in PSA symptoms among adolescents receiving VRET compared with waiting list (p = 0.015), but no significant difference to the online psychoeducation program (p = 0.056). However, online psychoeducation program yielded smaller within-group effect sizes compared to VRET, d = 0.33 vs. d = 0.83 respectively. VRET + online exposure program had a significant decrease in PSA symptoms (p = 0.013), but no significant difference from VRET + no additional intervention or online psychoeducation + online exposure program. Symptom reduction remained stable at 3-month follow-up.Conclusion: The study shows the potential of delivering both gamified VRET as well as online psychoeducation and exposure programs as self-guided interventions for adolescents with PSA.Clinical trial registration:clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT04396392

Virtual reality (VR) offers new and flexible ways to provide psychological interventions. The aim of this study was to develop and investigate the effectiveness of a VR intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for social and public speaking anxiety. ACT is a process-based approach that aims to (a) increase individuals' abilities to handle difficult emotional and cognitive experiences and (b) develop the motivation required for change to occur. In this study, a sample of university students with social interaction or communication anxiety (N = 76; age M = 24.95, SD = 6.50, 69.7% females) was blindly randomized into a total of 2 h of VR ACT training (VRACT; n = 37) or a waiting list control (WLC; n = 39) group. The VRACT group was gradually exposed to social situations using a VR head-mounted display (HMD) and received audio-recorded ACT-based instructions aimed at increasing psychological flexibility. The outcome measurements included self-reported social and communication anxiety, well-being, psychological processes, and behavioral measures. At the final feedback meeting held one week after attending three VR sessions, we observed a significant decrease in social and communication anxiety (d = 0.55–0.61) and a significant improvement in psychological flexibility (d = 0.61), with moderate effect sizes. These findings contribute to advancing knowledge of how ACT can be efficaciously delivered using VR to improve mental health outcomes for university students with social anxiety. • Virtual reality (VR) offers new ways to provide psychological interventions. • Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) was offered in a VR context. • A brief VRACT intervention was investigated for social and public speaking anxiety. • The VRACT intervention successfully improved psychological flexibility. • The VRACT intervention lowered social and communication anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is defined as a strong distress when performing a speech in front of an audience, causing impairment in terms of work possibilities and social relationships. Audience behavior and feedback received during a speech are a crucial variable to induce PSA, affecting performance and perception. In this study, two different virtual reality public speaking scenarios were developed to investigate the impact of positive (more assertive) versus negative (more hostile) audience behavior regarding perceived anxiety and physiological arousal during performance. Moreover, the presence of any carry-over effect based on first experiences (positive vs. negative) was investigated by using a within–between design. Both explicit (questionnaires) and implicit physiological measures (heart rate [HR]) were used to assess participants' experience. The results confirmed the influence of audience behavior on perceived anxiety. As expected, negative audience elicited greater anxiety and lower experience pleasantness. More interesting, the first experience influenced the perceived anxiety and arousal during performance, suggesting some sort of priming effect due to the valence of previous experience. In particular, starting with an encouraging feedback scenario did not increase the perceived anxiety and HR in front of a subsequent annoying audience. This modulation did not appear in the group who started with the annoying audience, which clearly reported higher HR and anxiety during the annoying exposure compared with the encouraging audience. These results are discussed considering previous evidence on the effect of feedback on performance. In addition, physiological results are interpreted considering the role of somatic marker theory in human performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several studies have highlighted the importance of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in reducing public speaking anxiety. The studies also denote the increase of confidence by strengthening self-efficacy. This study explores previous studies that uncover the use of CBT in dealing with public anxiety to identify its potential as part of multicultural counseling for international students in higher education. International students have different academic and learning cultures, as well as social environments, affecting the development of certain anxiety in dealing with pressures to adapt to new environments. Therefore, it positions the investigation of CBT’s ability to reduce public speaking anxiety for international students as highly essential. This study contends that CBT is a useful technique to unpack irrational fear of speaking in public and promote self-efficacy, developing confidence and leading to good mental health. However, given the nature of targeted intervention are international students, multicultural counseling competencies are undoubtedly required for the therapy. Abstrak: Beberapa penelitian telah menyoroti pentingnya Terapi Perilaku Kognitif (CBT) dalam mengurangi kecemasan berbicara di depan umum. Studi ini menunjukkan adanya peningkatan kepercayaan diri dengan memperkuat efikasi diri. Studi ini juga mengeksplorasi studi sebelumnya yang mengungkap penggunaan CBT dalam menangani kecemasan publik untuk mengidentifikasi potensinya sebagai bagian dari konseling multikultural untuk mahasiswa internasional di pendidikan tinggi. Mahasiswa internasional memiliki budaya akademik, pembelajaran, dan lingkungan sosial yang berbeda, yang semuanya memengaruhi perkembangan kecemasan tertentu dalam menghadapi tekanan untuk beradaptasi dengan lingkungan baru. Oleh karena itu, penelitian tentang CBT untuk mengurangi kecemasan berbicara di depan umum bagi mahasiswa internasional sangat penting. Studi ini berpendapat bahwa CBT adalah teknik yang berguna untuk membongkar ketakutan irasional berbicara di depan umum dan mempromosikan efikasi diri, mengembangkan kepercayaan diri dan mengarahkan kesehatan mental yang baik. Namun, mengingat sifat intervensi yang ditargetkan adalah siswa internasional, kompetensi konseling multikultural tidak diragukan lagi diperlukan dalam terapi.

Mastering English public speaking is required for Engineering students to contribute to the Ministry of Education’s internationalization policy that is manifested in the university’s regulation. However, English public speaking has become a nerve-wracking experience for L2 learners. This research aims to explore Engineering students’ English public speaking anxiety and its causes. The explanatory sequential design is applied. The online-based survey was conducted on 197 first-semester students and semi-structured interviews with 8 most anxious participants. The triangulation data analysis of quantitative and qualitative phases was carried out. The results illustrate that students experience moderate to low public speaking anxiety levels. The reasons for public speaking anxiety are linguistics problems, inhibition, lack of speaking practice, the difficulty for sentence construction from L1 into the target language, fear of peer negative feedback and being assessed, and dealing with unfamiliar topics as well as speaking delivery driven thoughts. Furthermore, teachers' reflexive identity and the appointment system used to determine public speakers become additional pressures. These findings can be used as valuable consideration to design appropriate speaking pedagogy, especially in the context of English for non-English major programs. Recommendation for future research is discussed.

As in many other countries, universities in Indonesia have been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and lecturers have been forced to adapt to online learning. Students in this online course admitted to feeling anxious when studying public speaking. This descriptive quantitative study aims to analyze the potential factors (English oral proficiency, personality, lecturer's scoring criteria, classmates' responses, pronunciation, audience familiarity, unfamiliar speech topic, preparedness, English grammar, vocabulary) affecting the students' public speaking anxiety at four different stages. The respondents of this study were 60 undergraduate students. A questionnaire adapted from McCroskey (1970) was used, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of IBM SPSS statistics 26 software. The findings of this study revealed that the factors affecting the students' public speaking anxiety through online learning varied by stages. Through online learning, English oral proficiency and topic familiarity could be the most influential factors on students' public speaking anxiety. The findings of this study are useful for educators in helping EFL students overcome their public speaking anxiety and enabling them to perform better in public speaking.

Bu araştırmanın amacı, öğretmen adaylarının psikolojik sağlamlık düzeylerinin topluluk önündeki konuşma kaygılarıyla olan ilişkisini incelemektir. Araştırma, nicel türde korelasyonel desende yürütülmüştür. Veriler, kolay ulaşılabilir durum örneklemesiyle belirlenmiş, Bartın ve Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesinde öğrenim gören 239 (kadın=174, erkek=65) öğretmen adayından elde edilmiştir. Veri toplama aracı olarak Kısa Psikolojik Sağlamlık Ölçeği (Doğan, 2015) ve Topluluk Önünde Konuşma Kaygısı Ölçeği (Doğru-Çabuker, Balcı-Çelik ve Aldemir, 2020) kullanılmıştır. Psikolojik sağlamlığın topluluk önünde konuşma kaygısını yordaması amacıyla yapılan basit doğrusal regresyon analizinde, iki değişken arasında anlamlı bir ilişki (R=.309, R2=.096) olduğu belirlenmiş ve psikolojik sağlamlığın topluluk önünde konuşma kaygı düzeyinin anlamlı bir yordayıcısı olduğu görülmüştür [F(1-237)=25.026, p

This study evaluated the efficacy of remote video‐based behavioral skills training (BST) on teaching public speaking behaviors to 4 participants. A multiple‐baseline design across speech behaviors was used to evaluate the effects of the training. Remote video‐based BST was effective at increasing public speaking behaviors for all participants. In addition, performance generalized to an increased audience size. An external expert in communications rated the participants as more effective public speakers following training. All participants reported satisfaction with the training and expressed greater comfort, confidence, overall ability, and less anxiety as a public speaker following training. We also measured potential collateral effects of teaching public speaking behaviors on speech disfluencies. Although remote video‐based BST was effective for all participants, it did not produce a change in the rate of speech disfluencies. Our findings indicate that public speaking behaviors can be taught using a remote video‐based BST package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is a lack of well-validated self-report measures to assess public speaking anxiety. This study explored the psychometric properties of the Public Speaking Anxiety Scale (PSAS). Methods: Seventy-two adults completed the PSAS as part of the baseline screening procedure of a randomized controlled trial. Rasch analysis was used to assess the scale's response category functioning, precision, targeting, unidimensionality, and differential item functioning. Construct validity was assessed using classical test theory methods. Results: While thresholds were ordered and no systematic bias in responses for age, gender, or screen failure was found, the PSAS demonstrated evidence of multidimensionality (variance by first factor = 39.7%, eigenvalue of first contrast = 2.76). Multidimensionality was resolved after splitting the scale into two discrete subscales: Emotional and Physiological. Three misfitting items (i.e. item 5 from Emotional, items 6 and 14 from Physiological) were removed. Scale precision and targeting remained suboptimal after subscale split and removal of misfitting items (PSI = 1.41, PR = 0.67 for Emotional; PSI = 1.49, PR = 0.69 for Physiological). Conclusion: The PSAS demonstrated adequate convergent validity. Psychometric properties of the PSAS after Rasch-guided modifications were overall promising. Further studies are needed to confirm our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although anxiety is an important component of individuals' relationship with public speaking, it only represents a portion of the story. Specifically, understanding attitudes toward public speaking can help instructors develop improved methods for teaching and assessing student performance in speech classes, and on oral communication-based university-level learning outcomes. This study addresses our lack of understanding of attitudes towards public speaking by collecting and examining data from 1,112 college students to develop a Public Speaking Attitude Scale and examine the scale's ability to predict students' intent to leverage skills learned in introductory speech classes in their future endeavors. Initial item development and validation are described, and the scale is compared against existing measures to determine which scale accounts for more variance in students' intent to leverage public speaking skills. Findings suggest that Public Speaking Attitude accounts for significantly more variance than public speaking anxiety and shyness in a student's intent to leverage skills learned in the basic speech course. Implications and avenues for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: One of the barriers to effective communication between speaker and listeners is public speaking anxiety (PSA). Over recent years, PSA has become common among students as the most widespread social anxiety (SA). Virtual reality (VR) and counseling therapy help reduce PSA. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of VR therapy and counseling on students' PSA and SA. Methods: This quasi‐experimental study was conducted on 30 students at three levels of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD at Kerman University of Medical Sciences and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (15 students in the intervention group and 15 in the control group). The intervention group observed four virtual classroom scenarios in a 30‐min session, and the control group attended a 90‐min group counseling session. Data were collected using by Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, and Igroup Presence Questionnaire. The data analysis was done using SPSS version 21. Descriptive analysis (frequency and percentage, mean, standard deviation, and quartiles) and analytical tests (paired t‐test and independent t‐test) were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that VR and counseling did not affect SA scores and statistical differences before and after the intervention were not statistically significant. However, VR and counseling reduced PSA. The mean of IPQ/IGP (physical presence) was 63.73. The participants' SA means (93.76) were higher than the mean PSA (73.4). Conclusions: VR and counseling did not affect students' SA, but they reduced PSA. If the intervention duration in future studies are longer, the effect of VR and counseling on reducing SA is likely to become more apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy techniques offer unique opportunities for comprehensive management of public speaking anxiety in the online public speaking classroom beyond exposure to only the speech-giving act itself. This best practices article outlines nontraditional strategies for incorporating ERP practices in a distance-learning setting.

Abstract Background and Aims One of the barriers to effective communication between speaker and listeners is public speaking anxiety (PSA). Over recent years, PSA has become common among students as the most widespread social anxiety (SA). Virtual reality (VR) and counseling therapy help reduce PSA. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of VR therapy and counseling on students' PSA and SA. Methods This quasi‐experimental study was conducted on 30 students at three levels of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD at Kerman University of Medical Sciences and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (15 students in the intervention group and 15 in the control group). The intervention group observed four virtual classroom scenarios in a 30‐min session, and the control group attended a 90‐min group counseling session. Data were collected using by Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, and Igroup Presence Questionnaire. The data analysis was done using SPSS version 21. Descriptive analysis (frequency and percentage, mean, standard deviation, and quartiles) and analytical tests (paired t‐test and independent t‐test) were used to analyze the data. Results The results showed that VR and counseling did not affect SA scores and statistical differences before and after the intervention were not statistically significant. However, VR and counseling reduced PSA. The mean of IPQ/IGP (physical presence) was 63.73. The participants' SA means (93.76) were higher than the mean PSA (73.4). Conclusions VR and counseling did not affect students' SA, but they reduced PSA. If the intervention duration in future studies are longer, the effect of VR and counseling on reducing SA is likely to become more apparent.

Self-reports are typically used to assess public speaking anxiety. In this study, we examined whether self-report, observer report, and behavioral and physiological reactivity were associated with each other during a speech challenge task. A total of 95 university students completed a self-report measure of public speaking anxiety before and after the speech challenge. Speech duration (i.e., behavioral measure), physiological reactivity, as well as speech performance evaluated by the participants and observers were also recorded. The results suggest that self-reported public speaking anxiety predicts speech duration, as well as speech quality, as rated by the participants themselves and observers. However, the physiological measures were not associated with self-reported anxiety during the speech task. Additionally, we observed that socially anxious participants underrate their speech performance in comparison to their observers' evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is a prevalent condition with disabling occupational, educational, and social consequences. Exposure therapy is a commonly utilized approach for treating PSA. Traditionally, this intervention has been delivered as in vivo exposure therapy (IVET). Limitations inherent to in vivo as a mode of delivery have been identified and studies have increasingly explored the use of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) as an alternative. Understanding the efficacy of both VRET and IVET as psychological interventions for PSA is important. A systematic search identified 11 studies with 508 participants. Meta-analysis yielded a large significant effect wherein VRET resulted in significant reductions in PSA versus control of −1.39 (Z = 3.96, p <.001) and a similar large significant effect wherein IVET resulted in significant reductions in PSA versus control of −1.41 (Z = 7.51, p <.001). Although IVET was marginally superior to VRET, both interventions proved efficacious. Given the advantages of utilizing VRET over IVET future research and clinical practice could explore VRET as a treatment option for PSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For students within foreign studies departments at the tertiary level, presentations in both their first and second languages have become integral components of course work, and therefore public speaking anxiety may hinder the pursuit of second language acquisition and intercultural communication competence. More effective methods for combating this problem must be developed, and exposure training (using both virtual and imagined practice) has been shown as effective for anxiety reduction related to public speaking. However, whether increasing intercultural public speaking confidence may also aid in reducing foreign language learning anxiety remains an ongoing question. University students in Japan (n=20) underwent a training program which featured VR-based and imaginal public speaking practice in front of intercultural audiences. Results indicate that public speaking anxiety levels were reduced by significant levels; however, only VR-based practice helped reduce foreign language anxiety significantly. Interviews showed the program was considered effective overall by the majority of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking is a vital skill for making good impressions, effectively exchanging ideas, and influencing others. Yet, public speaking anxiety (PSA) ranks as a top social phobia. Recent advancements in wearable devices and ubiquitous virtual reality (VR) interfaces can help measure and mitigate PSA. This research quantifies PSA through bio-behavioral markers related to individuals’ physiological and acoustic characteristics. The effect of virtual reality (VR) training on alleviating PSA is measured through self-reported and bio-behavioral indices. Psychological (e.g., general trait anxiety, personality) and demographic (e.g., age, gender, highest education, native language) traits are examined as moderating factors between bio-behavioral indices and PSA, as well as moderating factors for measuring the VR effectiveness in mitigating PSA. These measures are also used as clustering criteria for stratifying participants in group-based models of PSA. Results indicate the significance of such traits to modeling PSA with the proposed group-based models yielding Spearman’s correlation of 0.55 ($p<0.05$ p < 0. 05 ) between the actual and predicted outcome. Results further demonstrate that systematic exposure to public speaking in VR can alleviate PSA in terms of both self-reported ($p<0.05$ p < 0. 05 ) and physiological ($p<0.05$ p < 0. 05 ) indices. Findings from this study will enable researchers to better understand antecedents and causes of PSA and lay the foundation for personalized adaptive feedback for PSA interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure therapy is the recommended treatment for anxiety disorders, but many anxious individuals are unwilling to expose themselves to feared situations. Episodic simulation of future situations contributes to adaptive emotion regulation and motivates behavior. This study investigated whether future-oriented positive mental imagery reduces anticipatory anxiety and distress during exposure, and increases exposure willingness and duration. Forty-three individuals with moderate public speaking anxiety were randomized to a standardized positive mental imagery exercise about future public speaking or no-task. All participants were then asked to present in a virtual reality environment. Anticipatory anxiety reduced in the positive mental imagery group, but not in the control group. Additionally, the positive mental imagery group reported lower distress during exposure than the control group, but groups did not differ in exposure willingness. Due to limited variance, effects on exposure duration could not be tested. Future-oriented positive mental imagery is promising to prepare individuals for exposure to previously avoided situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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