Efficacy of behaviour modification techniques to reduce stage fright: A study

Pages:126-129
Sunil K Jangir (Department of Psychology, R & D Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Karnataka)
Reddy B. Govinda (Department of Psychology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh)

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of behavior modification techniques for students to reduce Stage Fright or performance anxiety. Stage fright and anxiety in the students were developed due to various causes and Students were selected for the study on the basis of their Subjective Unit of Distress Scale developed by Wolpe (1992). The students were assessed pre and post intervention. we used the questionnaire Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety – 34 (PRPSA) developed by McCroskey (2013) and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale developed by Rosenberg (1965) in order to determine the level of anxiety, that a student experiences while performing a speech and measures global self-worth by measuring both positive and negative feelings about the self respectively. This is the study of forty student of IX standard, Kendriya Vidyalaya, they were very diffident to present themselves on the stage. The students were assessed pre intervention and intervened with Behaviour Modification techniques for the period of Six weeks. The student’s stage fright and self esteem were reassessed after the period of six weeks. The results of the study reflected that the students experienced significantly less anxiety / stage fright, decreased in their Subjective Unit of Distress Scale and increase in the self esteem. This shows that Behaviour Modification techniques are efficient in reducing stage fright, performance anxiety and increase in self esteem.