Prevalence and Group Differences in Public Speaking Anxiety and Social Anxiety among University Students: A Cross-sectional Analysis

Abstract

Aim:This study designed to examine the prevalence of public speaking anxiety and social anxiety among university students and explore group differences based on university type, academic discipline, gender. Methodology:A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed. 320 students from both public and private universities in Delhi, representing science and social science disciplines, participated in the study. Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) were used. Statistical analyses such as descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, independent samples t-tests, and two-way ANOVA were used to assess prevalence and explore group differences. Results:The one-sample t-test revealed that public speaking anxiety indicated no elevated prevalence. In contrast, social anxiety scores were significantly reflecting a substantial prevalence. Independent samples t-tests showed that female students reported significantly higher public speaking anxiety than males, while no gender difference was found for social anxiety. Two-way ANOVA results indicated that social anxiety was significantly higher among public university students compared to private university students, but no significant differences were found for public speaking anxiety across university type. Academic discipline and age did not yield significant effects for either form of anxiety. Conclusion:The findings suggest that social anxiety is a more prominent concern than public speaking anxiety among university students in Delhi.