Use of graduated behavior rehearsal, feedback, and systematic desensitization for speech anxiety.

Abstract

Forty-eight speech-anxious students (25 males and 23 females) ranging in age from 17 to 48 were offered a 4-week speech anxiety group. The research participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) graduated behavior rehearsal/feedback (GBR), (b) graduated behavior rehearsal/feedback plus systematic desensitization (GBR/SD), or (c) the no-treatment control. Each subject completed a series of tests at pre-and posttreatment, including the short form of the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A behavioral measure, the short form of the Behavioral Assessment of Speech Anxiety, was also obtained at pre-and postassessment. Except for the behavioral instrument, the battery of tests was repeated at a 6-week follow-up. The GBR and GBR/SD treatment groups demonstrated significantly greater speech anxiety reduction than the no-treatment controls at postassessment and follow-up assessment. The exception discovered was that the GBR group did not score significantly lower than the controls on the state anxiety measure of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. No significant differences were found between the GBR and GBR/SD treatment conditions on any dependent measure.

A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Virtual Reality and In Vivo Exposure Therapy as Psychological Interventions for Public Speaking Anxiety

“…Table 1 provides an overview of the study characteristics for all 11 studies included in the current meta-analysis. Of these five utilized VRET ( Harris et al, 2002 ; Heuett & Heuett, 2011 ; Lindner et al, 2019 ; North et al, 1998 ; Wallach et al, 2009 ), four utilized IVET ( Lawm et al, 1994 ; Newman et al, 1994 ; Schoenberger et al, 1997 ; Trussell, 1978 ) and two directly compared VRET to IVET ( Anderson et al, 2013 ; Price & Anderson, 2012 ). A total of 508 participants were included across the 11 studies.…”

“…Of note is certain studies exclusively used exposure therapy (i.e., VRET or IVET) ( Harris et al, 2002 ; Heuett & Heuett, 2011 ; Lawm et al, 1994 ; Newman et al, 1994 ; North et al, 1998 ; Trussell, 1978 ). Others adopted exposure therapy as the primary therapeutic intervention while including additional accompanying interventions such as CBT for Social Anxiety ( Anderson et al, 2013 ; Price & Anderson, 2012 ; Schoenberger et al, 1997 ; Wallach et al, 2009 ) and Psychoeducation ( Lindner et al, 2019 ).…”

Graduated exposure plus feedback in the treatment of speech anxiety

“…In summary, this study investigated a potentially useful graduated exposure and feedback procedure in the treatment of clinically phobic speech anxious individuals. Graduated exposure procedures have been highly unrepresented in the speech anxiety literature which is surprising given its extensive use with so many other anxiety disorders (Trussell, 1978). The vast majority of work with speech anxiety has involved analog studies with undergraduate college students.…”

“…A final strength is the inclusion of the group feedbackcomponent. The use of peer feedback has not been extensively studied in the speech anxiety literature and this is one of a few studies that has examined its effectiveness (Sherman, Mulac, & McCann, 1972;Trussell, 1978).…”

Speak Up! Oral Examinations and Political Science

“…Communication anxiety is often demonstrated in the students' behavior and is observable by audience members (Finn, Sawyer, and Behnke 2003;Mulmac and Sherman 1974;Trussel 1978). There are both language indicators (i.e., volume, pitch, rate, pauses, etc.)…”