A preliminary study on the potential of Virtual Reality Therapy in reducing public speaking anxiety
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18050/rev.espergesia.v9i1.2087Abstract
This study probes on the potentials of Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) to overcome glossophobia in the context of online classes. To achieve the objective, this study employs experimental design in which students who are enrolled in an online public speaking course were grouped into two: Experimental and control group. The experimental group experienced three sessions of VRT throughout the semester whereas the control group did not. After the end of the course, the descriptive analysis findings suggest that the rate of change for the experimental group was -17% in comparison with the control group -4%. This indicates that the experimental group had decreased their public speaking anxiety four times more than the control group; hence suggesting that VRT has helped to reduce the anxiety in public speaking. All in all, this study foreshadows the great potential of VRT in the education and communication field.
Keywords: Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA); Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT); online classes; technology in education.
References
Anderson, P. L., Price, M., Edwards, S. M., Obasaju, M. A., Schmertz, S. K., Zimand, E., Calamaras, M. R. (2013). Virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81(5), 751–760. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033559
Aresti-Bartolome, N., & Garcia-Zapirain, B. (2014). Technologies as support tools for persons with autistic spectrum disorder: a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(8), 7767–802. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110807767
Bouchard, S., Dumoulin, S., Robillard, G., Guitard, T., Klinger, E., Forget, E., Loranger, C., & Roucaut, F.X. (2017). Virtual reality compared with in vivo exposure in the treatment of social anxiety disorder: a three-arm randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 210, 276–283. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.116.184234
Brown, H. D. (1994). Principles of language learning and teaching (3rd Ed.). Prentice Hall.
Brundage, S. B., & Hancock, A. B. (2015). Real enough: Using virtual public speaking environments to evoke feelings and behaviors targeted in stuttering assessment and treatment. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 24(2), 139–149. https://doi.org/10.1044/2014_AJSLP-14-0087
Den Brok, W., & Sterkenburg, P. (2014). Self-controlled technologies to support skill attainment in persons with an autism spectrum disorder and/or an intellectual disability: a systematic literature review. Disability and Rehabilitation Assistive Technology Journal, 10(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3109/17483107.2014.921248
Dunsmoor, J. E., Ahs, F., Zielinski, D. J., & LaBar, K. S. (2014). Extinction in multiple virtual reality contexts diminishes fear reinstatement in humans. Neurobiol Learn Mem Journal, 113, 157–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2014.02.010
Emmelkamp, P. M. G. (2003). Behavior therapy with adults. In M. Lambert (Ed.), Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change. Wiley.
Emmelkamp, P. M., Bruynzeel, M., Drost, L., Van Der Mast C. A. (2001). Virtual reality treatment in acrophobia: a comparison with exposure in vivo. Cyberpsychol Behaviour Journal, 4(3), 335-9. https://doi.org/10.1089/109493101300210222
Freeman, D., Reeve, S., Robinson, A., Ehlers, A., Clark, D., Spanlang, B., & Slater, M. (2017). Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of mental health disorders. Psychological Medicine Journal, 47(14), 2393–400. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329171700040X
Gorini, A., Capideville, C., Gianluca, D. L., Fabrizia, M., & Giuseppe, R. (2011). The role of immersion and narrative in mediation presence: The virtual hospital experience. Cyberpsychology, behaviour and social networking, 14(3), 99-105.
Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J., Wiederhold, B. K., & Riva, G. (2015). Future Directions: How virtual reality can further improve the assessment and treatment of eating disorders and obesity. Cyberpsychology Behaviour Social Networking Journal, 148-153.
Horwitz E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. Modern Language Journal, 85(5), 549-566.
Kampmann, I. L., Emmelkamp, P. M. G, Hartanto, D., Brinkman, W., Zijlstra, B. J. H., & Morina, N. (2016). Exposure to virtual social interactions in the treatment of social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial, Behaviour Research and Therapy, 77, 147–156.
Khamkhien, A. (2010). Teaching English speaking and English speaking tests in the Thai context: A reflection from Thai perspective. English Language Teaching, 3(2), 184-190.
Kim, S. Y. (1998). Affective experiences of Korean college students in different instructional contexts: Anxiety and motivation in reading and conversation courses. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas, Austin]. https://www.proquest.com/openview/779fc4c3c2412a08a6d1c94f53cafd5e/1
Klinger, E., Bouchard, S., Le Geron, P., Roy, S., Lauer, F., Chemin, I. (2005). Virtual reality therapy versus cognitive behavior therapy for social phobia: a preliminary controlled study. Cyberpsychology Behaviour Journal, 8, 76–88.
Li, F. C., Angelier, J., Deffontaines, B., Hu, J. C., Hsu, S. H., Lee, C. H., Huang, C. H. & Chen, C. H. (2002). A virtual reality application for distance learning of Taiwan stream erosion in Goesciences. International Conference on Computer Education.
McCroskey, J. C. (1982). Oral communication apprehensive: A reconceptualization, In Michael Burgoon (Ed.), Communication yearbook, 6(1) (pp.271- 294). Sage Publications.
Morina, N., Brinkman, W.P., Hartanto, D., Kampmann, I. L., & Emmelkamp, P. M. G. (2015). Social interactions in virtual reality exposure therapy: A proof-of-concept pilot study. Technology and Health Care, 23(5), 581–589. https://doi.org/10.3233/THC-151014.
New Straits Times. (2020, February 18) Graduate employability: A priority of the Education Ministry. News Straits Times. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/02/566731/graduate-employability-priority-education-ministry
North, M. M., North, S. M., Coble, J. R. (1997). Virtual Reality Therapy: An Effective Treatment for Psychological Disorders. In Virtual Reality in Neuro-Psycho-Physiology. Ios Press.
Opriş, D., Pintea, S., García-Palacios, A., Botella, C., Szamosközi, S., & David, D. (2012). Virtual reality exposure therapy in anxiety disorders: A quantitative meta-analysis. Depression and Anxiety, 29, 85–93. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20910
Ortega, L. (2014). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge.
Pertaub, D. P., Slater, M., & Barker, C. (2002). An experiment on public speaking anxiety in response to three different types of virtual audience. Presence,11(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1162/105474602317343668
Rahmat, N., Ayub, A. R. & Buntat, Y. (2017). Employability skills constructs as job performance predictors for Malaysian polytechnic graduates: A qualitative study. Ministry of Higher Education.
Raja, F. (2017). Anxiety level in students of public speaking. Journal of Education and Educational Development, 4(1), 94-110.
Riva, G. (1998). Virtual environments in neuroscience. IEEE Trans Inf Technol Biomed, 2(4), 275–81. https://doi.org/10.1109/4233.737583
Riva, G., & Mantovani, F. (2012). Being there: understanding the feeling of presence in a synthetic environment and its potential for clinical change. In C. Eichenberg (Ed). Virtual Reality in Psychological, Medical and Pedagogical Applications. InTech.
Riva, G., & Waterworth, J. A. (2003). Presence and the self: a cognitive neuroscience approach. Presence Connect, 3(3). http://www8.informatik.umu.se/~jwworth/Riva-Waterworth.htm
Rothbaum, B. O., Hodges, L., Anderson, P. L., Price, L., & Smith, S. (2002). Twelve-month follow-up of virtual reality and standard exposure therapies for the fear of flying. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 428 – 432. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-006X.70.2.428
Rothbaum, B. O., Hodges, L., Smith, S., Lee, J. H., & Price, L. (2000). A controlled study of virtual reality exposure therapy for the fear of flying. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 1020–1026. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.68.6.1020
Schultheis, M. T, & Rizzo, A. A. (2001). Being there: Understanding the feeling of presence in a synthetic environment and its potential for clinical change. Rehabilitation Psychology, 46329631.
Shamsuddin, W. N. F. W., Ng, W. L., Abdullah, A. N. & Chan, S. H. (2021). Public Speaking Anxiety or English Language Anxiety? International Journal of Advanced Research in Education and Society, 3(2), 58-65.
Shiban, Y., Schelhorn, I., Pauli, P., & Muhlberger, A. (2015). Effect of combined multiple contexts and multiple stimuli exposure in spider phobia: a randomized clinical trial in virtual reality. Behav Res Ther, 71, 45–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.05.014
Slater, M., Pertaub, D.P., Barker, C., & Clark, D. M. (2006). An experimental study on fear of public speaking using a virtual environment, Cyberpsychology Behaviour Social Networking Journal, 9, 627–633. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2006.9.627
Song, K. S., & Lee, W. Y. (2002). A virtual reality application for geometry classes. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 18(1), 149-156.
Sung, J., Michael, C., Loke, F., & Ramos, C. (2013). The nature of employability skills: Empirical evidence from Singapore. International Journal of Training and Development, 17(3), 176–193.
Vanni, F., Conversano, C., Debbio, D.A., Landi, P., Carlini, M., Fanciullacci, C., Bergamasco, M., Fiorino, D.A., Dell’Osso, L. (2013). A survey on virtual environment applications to fear of public speaking. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci., 17(12), 1561 – 1568. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23832719/
Wallach, H. S., Safir, M. P., & Bar-Zvi, M. (2009). Virtual reality cognitive behavior therapy for public speaking anxiety: a randomized clinical trial, Behav. Modif., 33, 314–338. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445509331926
Westwick, J. (2014). Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety: Practical Applications for Classroom Instruction. Communication Studies and Theatre Faculty Publications. 3(1), 15-19.
Yaikhong, K., & Usaha, S. (2012) A measure of EFL Public Speaking Class Anxiety: Scale development and preliminary validation and reliability. English Language Teaching, 5(12), 23-35.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Wan Noor Farah Wan Shamsuddin, Muhammad Nur Adilin Mohd Anuardi, Intan Syafinaz Mohmad Rozee
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
