Prevalence and factors associated with fear of public speaking

Abstract

Purpose: To identify the prevalence of fear of public speaking and verify its association with sociodemographic variables, self-perception of voice, speech, and oral communication skills in public. Methods: A cross-sectional and analytical study with 1,124 university students was carried out. An online questionnaire addressed was performed, considering factors as sociodemographic characteristics; fear of speaking; Scale for Self-Assessment When Speaking in Public (SSPS), self-perception of the voice, the ability to grasp, and keep the listener's attention and influence another. Results: The fear of public speaking was prevalent in undergraduate students. There was an association of the fear of speaking with the vocal self-perception, with the ability to capture and keep the listener's attention and to influence another with their communication. Individuals who have the ability to capture and maintain the attention of the interlocutor are more likely to be afraid of public speaking than the undergraduate students who perceive themselves as having the ability to influence the listener with their communication. Conclusion: The more communicative skills and more persuasive the individual perceives his or her self, the less likely he or she is to be affected by the fear of speaking.