Public Speaking, Speech Anxiety
Conditions
Brief summary
Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy is an efficacious treatment for speech anxiety and has been delivered effectively in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The present study is designed to evaluate whether mood state moderates outcome to a brief VR exposure intervention.
Detailed description
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare outcomes of VR exposure therapy for college students with public speaking anxiety following a positive or negative mood induction. The overarching aim of the present study is to determine whether mood state prior to engaging in a brief VR exposure therapy session for public speaking anxiety impacts treatment outcomes. The study involves three phases: (1) initial screening, (2) in-person assessment and brief exposure intervention for a subset of participants with elevated public speaking anxiety, and (3) a one-week follow-up assessment conducted online. Students who choose to participate and screen high on a public speaking anxiety scale will be assigned to a positive or negative mood induction condition prior to undergoing VR based exposure therapy. Public speaking and social anxiety outcomes are measured immediately post-intervention and one week later. Researchers will compare participants given a positive mood induction to participants given a negative mood induction to see if public speaking anxiety outcomes differ.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALExposure intervention plus positive mood induction
Positive mood induction followed by a brief VR exposure session for public speaking anxiety.
BEHAVIORALExposure intervention plus negative mood induction
Negative mood induction followed by a brief VR exposure session for public speaking anxiety.
Sponsors
Boston University Charles River Campus
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Self-report of 18 years of age or older * Current student at Boston University * Ability to read English to provide informed consent * Familiarity with a computer keyboard and mouse or a touch screen device (e.g. phone, tablet). * For Phase 2: speech anxiety scale score of ≥ 14 on the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, Public Speaking Subscale (PRCA-PS)
Exclusion criteria
* Previous participation (i.e., no participant may take the survey more than once).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Public Speaking Anxiety | Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from post-treatment, approximately 2 week post-screen | Assessed using the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension, Public Speaking Subscale (PRCA-PS) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Valence | Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from follow up survey, 1 week post-exposure | Self-report measure of how participant feels about having to give a speech |
| Social Phobia | Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from follow up survey, 1 week post-exposure | Assessed using the social phobia inventory (SPIN) |
| Public Speaking Anxiety | Comparison of pre-exposure scores to scores from follow up survey, 1 week post-exposure | Assessed using the PRCA-PS |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed