A Study on Glossophobia and Self-Esteem and t...

A Study on Glossophobia and Self-Esteem and the Impact of Prior Public Speaking Experiences among College Going Students

Author Name : Amitha TK

ABSTRACT This study investigated the impact of prior public speaking experiences on glossophobia (fear of public speaking) and self-esteem among college students. The primary aim was to explore the relationship between self-esteem and glossophobia, identify effective strategies for managing public speaking anxiety, and assess how different types of prior experiences (good, neutral, and bad) affected these variables. A cross-sectional research design was utilized, involving a sample of 150 college students selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) to assess glossophobia, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) for selfesteem measurement, and a custom survey for additional sociodemographic and experiential data.The results revealed a significant negative correlation between glossophobia and self-esteem, indicating that higher levels of public speaking anxiety were associated with lower self-esteem. Additionally, students with prior positive experiences in public speaking showed lower levels of anxiety and higher self-esteem compared to those with neutral or negative experiences. The findings also highlighted that effective strategies for overcoming public speaking fear included increased practice, positive reinforcement, and seeking support from peers and mentors. The study adhered to ethical standards, with informed consent obtained from participants, confidentiality ensured, and the right to withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. These results underscore the importance of addressing public speaking anxiety through targeted interventions and improving self-esteem among college students, particularly by leveraging positive past experiences.