Managing Severe Speech Anxiety
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Managing Severe Speech Anxiety
Introduction
Fine public speaking is imperative skill in order to succeed in our present career-oriented world. “Empirical studies have linked oral communication ability to such measures of success as finding a job (Kyzystofik, A. T. & Fein, R., 1988)and progressing in a career (Estes, 1979)” (Fordham, D. R. & Gabbin, A.L., Vol. 59, No. 3, Sept. 1996). Also, research by Kendall described that 55% of the adults interviewed who gave the speech in the last two years, performed the speeches at work or were work related. She indicated that effective public speaking is related to enhanced employment opportunities and income (Ayres, J. & Hopf, T. , 1993).
Definition of Speech Anxiety
However, even the best and the smartest have experienced speech anxiety and some experienced severe speech anxiety.
According to Joe Ayres and Tim Hopf, the authors of “Coping with Speech Anxiety” (Ayres, J. & Hopf, T. , 1993, p. 4), the definition of Speech Anxiety is as follows:
Speech anxiety refers to those situations when an individual reports he or she is afraid to deliver a speech. This definition restricts the phenomena of speech anxiety to situations in which a person knows what he or she fears (i.e., public speaking). Fear of public speaking thusly defined can be differentiated form situations in which a person experiences anxiety but is not aware of the source of the anxiety (i.e. his or her anxiety is free floating). Our sense of public speaking anxiety is closer to what psychologists and psychiatrists refer to as a phobia that it is to free floating anxiety. Phobias are anxiety disorders “characterized by (a) persistent fear of a specific situation out of proportion to the reality of the danger, (b) compelling desire to avoid and escape the situation, (c) recognition that the fear is unreasonably excessive, and (d) the fact that it is not due to any other disorder” (Rosenhan, D.L. and Seligman, M.E.P., 1984, p. 674).
Other terms...
Introduction
Fine public speaking is imperative skill in order to succeed in our present career-oriented world. “Empirical studies have linked oral communication ability to such measures of success as finding a job (Kyzystofik, A. T. & Fein, R., 1988)and progressing in a career (Estes, 1979)” (Fordham, D. R. & Gabbin, A.L., Vol. 59, No. 3, Sept. 1996). Also, research by Kendall described that 55% of the adults interviewed who gave the speech in the last two years, performed the speeches at work or were work related. She indicated that effective public speaking is related to enhanced employment opportunities and income (Ayres, J. & Hopf, T. , 1993).
Definition of Speech Anxiety
However, even the best and the smartest have experienced speech anxiety and some experienced severe speech anxiety.
According to Joe Ayres and Tim Hopf, the authors of “Coping with Speech Anxiety” (Ayres, J. & Hopf, T. , 1993, p. 4), the definition of Speech Anxiety is as follows:
Speech anxiety refers to those situations when an individual reports he or she is afraid to deliver a speech. This definition restricts the phenomena of speech anxiety to situations in which a person knows what he or she fears (i.e., public speaking). Fear of public speaking thusly defined can be differentiated form situations in which a person experiences anxiety but is not aware of the source of the anxiety (i.e. his or her anxiety is free floating). Our sense of public speaking anxiety is closer to what psychologists and psychiatrists refer to as a phobia that it is to free floating anxiety. Phobias are anxiety disorders “characterized by (a) persistent fear of a specific situation out of proportion to the reality of the danger, (b) compelling desire to avoid and escape the situation, (c) recognition that the fear is unreasonably excessive, and (d) the fact that it is not due to any other disorder” (Rosenhan, D.L. and Seligman, M.E.P., 1984, p. 674).
Other terms...