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Exposure With Acceptance-Based Versus Habituation-Based Rationale for Public Speaking Anxiety

NCT00842946 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 45

Last updated 2014-06-02

Study results available
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Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare two exposure-based behavioral group treatments for public speaking anxiety. Specifically, exposure within the context of psychological acceptance will be compared to exposure within a standard habituation context. It is hypothesized that participants receiving exposure within the context of psychological acceptance will experience a greater decrease in anxiety and greater improvement in quality of life compared to the habituation-based group.

Conditions

  • Public Speaking
  • Social Fear

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Exposure w/ Acceptance-Based Rationale

Treatment focuses on the ineffectiveness of participants' past attempts to control or reduce their anxiety in public speaking situations. Acceptance of one's private experiences (thoughts, feelings, sensations) will be introduced. "Willingness" to experience unwanted thoughts and feelings while simultaneously engaging in valued activities, especially those related to public speaking, is stressed. Techniques designed to foster psychological acceptance are practiced prior to and during exposure exercises, as well as assigned for homework between sessions.

BEHAVIORAL

Exposure w/ Habituation-Based Rationale

Exposure to feared public speaking situations are accompanied by explanations of behavioral principles, including classical/operant conditioning and habituation. The process of associating public speaking situations with unwanted feelings of anxiety will be discussed, as well as negative reinforcement of escape and avoidance behaviors. The underlying principle of habituation is reviewed. When engaging in exposure exercises (both in session and assigned homework exercises), participants will be encouraged to remain in the feared speaking situation until their subjective ratings of anxiety decrease.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Drexel University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • James D Herbert, Ph.D. · Drexel University

  • Evan M Forman, Ph.D. · Drexel University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2009-02-28
Primary Completion
2009-11-30
Completion
2009-11-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00842946 on ClinicalTrials.gov