Current Status of Knowledge on Public-speaking Anxiety

From Current Opinion in Psychiatry Charles B. Pull 12/19/2011; Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2012;25(1):32-38. © 2012 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Abstract Purpose of review: This review examines the current knowledge on public-speaking anxiety, that is, the fear of speaking in front of others. This article summarizes the findings from previous review articles and describes new research findings on basic science aspects, prevalence rates, classification, and treatment that have been published between August 2008 and August 2011. Recent findings: Recent findings highlight the major aspects of psychological and physiological reactivity to public speaking in individuals who are afraid to speak in front of others, confirm high prevalence rates of the disorder, contribute to identifying the disorder as a possibly distinct subtype of social anxiety disorder (SAD), and give support to the efficacy of treatment programs using virtual reality exposure and Internet-based self-help. Summary: Public-speaking anxiety is a highly prevalent disorder, leading to excessive psychological and physiological reactivity. It is present in a majority of individuals with SAD and there is substantial evidence that it may be a distinct subtype of SAD. It is amenable to treatment including, in particular, new technologies such as exposure to virtual environments and the use of cognitive–behavioral self-help programs delivered on the Internet. Introduction Public-speaking anxiety, also termed fear of speaking in public, fear of public speaking, or fear of speaking in front of others, is a highly prevalent disorder. The fear causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. This article reports on the recent data concerning the psychological and physiological reactivity to public speaking in individuals who are afraid of speaking in front of others, prevalence rates, the position of the disorder as a possibly distinct subtype of social anxiety disorder (SAD), and the development of new treatment modalities, including, in particular, exposure in virtual reality environments and Internet-based self-help programs.