Since 20% of all college students experience communication apprehension (CA), the developmental student, distinguished by lower than average academic scores, may also experience this inhibiting fear of communication. Characteristics of the developmental communication apprehensive student indicate that a program for overcoming communication…

A study examined stages and objectives of a systematic desensitization (SD) program and its effects on subject reported apprehension levels and perceived benefits and behavior changes toward public speaking. Subjects, 19 freshmen and sophomore university students, were administered the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension-24 (PRCA-24).…

This paper introduces the subject of communication apprehension and presents five group-based exercises for the basic public speaking course. The paper notes that communication apprehension can affect people's personal and occupational lives, and that visualization, skills training, and systematic desensitization are methods that can help control…