Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety for Native and Non-Native English Speakers: The Value of Systematic Desensitization, Cognitive Restructuring, and Skills Training

Tony Docan-Morgan, Thomas Schmidt

Abstract


This brief report examined how, if at all, a one-hour public speaking anxiety training session that includes systematic desensitization, cognitive restructuring, and skills training, affects public speaking anxiety for native and non-native English speakers. The results indicate that public speaking anxiety decreased after the workshop for native and non-native English speakers. In particular, scores on the Communication Anxiety Inventory (CAI) Form Trait decreased for non-native English speakers, but did not change on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) A-State. Further, scores on the STAI A-State decreased for native English speakers, however scores on the CAI Form Trait did not change.

Key words: Public speaking anxiety; Non-native English speakers; Systematic desensitization; Cognitive restructuring; Skills training


Keywords


Public speaking anxiety; Non-native English speakers; Systematic desensitization; Cognitive restructuring; Skills training

References


Alemi, M., Daftarifard, P., & Pashmforoosh, R. (2011). The Impact of Language Anxiety and Language Proficiency on WTC in EFL Context. Cross-Cultural Communication, 7, 150-166.

Awan, R., Azher, M., Anwar, M. N., & Naz, A. (2010). An Investigation of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and Its Relationship with Students’ Achievement. Journal of College Teaching and Learning, 7, 33-40.

Ayers, J. (1988). Coping with Speech Anxiety: The Power of Positive Thinking. Communication Education, 37, 289-296.

Ayers, J. (1990). Situational Factors and Audience Anxiety.Communication Education, 39, 283-291.

Ayres, J., Ayres, D. M., Grudzinskas, G., Hope, T., Kelly, E., & Wilcox, A. K. (1995). A Component Analysis of Performance Visualization. Communication Research Reports, 8, 186-192.

Ayres, J., Hopf, T., & Peterson, E. (2000). A Test of Communication-Orientation Motivation (COM) Therapy.Communication Reports, 13, 35-44.

Beatty, M. J., & Behnke, R. R. (1980). An Assimilation Theory Perspective of Communication Apprehension. Human Communication Research, 6, 319-325.

Behnke, R. R., & Sawyer, C. R. (1998). Conceptualizing Speech Anxiety as a Dynamic Trait. Southern Communication Journal, 63, 160-168.

Bodie, G. D. (2010). A Racing Heart, Rattling Knees, and Ruminative Thoughts: Defining, Explaining, and Treating Public Speaking Anxiety. Communication Education, 59, 70-105.

Booth-Butterfield, S., & Gould, M. (1986). The Communication Anxiety Inventory: Validation of State- and Context-Communication Apprehension. Communication Quarterly, 34, 194-205.

Daly, J. A., McCroskey, J. C., Ayres, J., Hopf, T., & Ayres, D. M. (1997). Avoiding Communication: Shyness, Reticence, & Communication Apprehension (2nd ed.). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Daly, J. A., Vangelisti, A. L., & Lawrence, S. (1989). Public Speaking Anxiety and Self-focused Attention. Personality and Individual Differences, 10, 903-913.

Friedrich, G., Goss, B., Cunconan, T., & Lane, D. (1997). Systematic Desensitization. In J. A. Daly, J. C. McCroskey, J. Ayres, T. Hopf, & D. M. Ayres (Eds.), Avoiding Communication: Shyness, Reticence, and Communication Apprehension (2nd ed., pp. 305-329). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

Kelly, L. (1997). Skills Training as a Treatment for Communication Problems. In J. A. Daly, J. C. McCroskey, J. Ayres, T. Hopf, & D. M. Ayres (Eds.), Avoiding Communication: Shyness, Reticence, and Communication Apprehension (2nd ed., pp. 331-365). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.

McCroskey, J. C. (1970). Measures of Communication-Bound Anxiety. Speech Monographs, 37, 269-277.

Menzel, K. E., & Carrell, L. J. (1994). The Relationship Between Preparation and Performance in Public Speaking. Communication Education, 43, 17-26.

Safir, M. P., Wallach, H.S., Bar-Zvi, M. (2012). Virtual Reality Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Public Speaking Anxiety: One-Year Follow-up. Behavior Modification, 36, 235-246.

Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Measure. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

Whitworth, R. H., & Cochran, C. (1996). Evaluation of Integrated Versus Unitary Treatments for Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety. Communication Education, 45, 306-313.

Witt, P. L., & Behnke, R. R. (2006). Anticipatory Speech Anxiety as a Function of Public Speaking Assignment Type.Communication Education, 55, 167-177.

Woodrow, L. (2006). Anxiety and Speaking English as a Second Language. Regional Language Centre Journal, 37, 308-328.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/j.ccc.1923670020120805.2018

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2012 Tony Docan-Morgan, Thomas Schmidt

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


Share us to:   


Reminder

  • How to do online submission to another Journal?
  • If you have already registered in Journal A, then how can you submit another article to Journal B? It takes two steps to make it happen:

1. Register yourself in Journal B as an Author

  • Find the journal you want to submit to in CATEGORIES, click on “VIEW JOURNAL”, “Online Submissions”, “GO TO LOGIN” and “Edit My Profile”. Check “Author” on the “Edit Profile” page, then “Save”.

2. Submission

Online Submission: http://cscanada.org/index.php/ccc/submission/wizard

  • Go to “User Home”, and click on “Author” under the name of Journal B. You may start a New Submission by clicking on “CLICK HERE”.
  • We only use four mailboxes as follows to deal with issues about paper acceptance, payment and submission of electronic versions of our journals to databases: caooc@hotmail.com; office@cscanada.net; ccc@cscanada.net; ccc@cscanada.org

 Articles published in Cross-Cultural Communication are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY).

 CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION Editorial Office

Address: 1055 Rue Lucien-L'Allier, Unit #772, Montreal, QC H3G 3C4, Canada.
Telephone: 1-514-558 6138 
Website: Http://www.cscanada.net; Http://www.cscanada.org 
E-mail:caooc@hotmail.com; office@cscanada.net

Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture