Public speaking difficulties in the university community: Efficacy of a training program for its control

Speaking in public may be a perceived as a threatening situation, one that produces anxiety and fear, and problems associated with it are found in a variety of social groups, including among university students and staff . The aim of the present study is to analyze the statistical and clinical effectiveness of a public speaking program, designed by the Applied Psychology Service of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. The program includes techniques including deep breathing, selfinstructions and public speaking training. Results form a sample of 45 people from the university community indicate the statistical and clinical effectiveness of this program for the public speaking. Specifically, as well as producing improvements with regard to decreasing the difficulties for public speaking, it led to modification of each the three types of response involved in those difficulties. Moreover, the improvement experienced by the subjects, 86% of whom ha some kind of public speaking difficulty, was maintained six months after the application of the program, with some aspects even showing an improvement over this period, according to various measures included in the program’s effects.