Effects of Stress Inoculation and Participant Modeling on Confidence and Anxiety: Testing Predictions of Self-Efficacy Theory

Self-efficacy theory maintains that psychological change is a product of changes in clients' efficacy expectations, but previous research has examined only the impact of treatments ased on modeling upon self-efficacy. To test this proposition further, speech-anxious subjects were exposed to treatment. Posttreatment assessment indicated that stress inoculation resulted in subject confidence levels that were equal to or superior to those resulting from participant modeling and greater than those resulting from the no-treatment control Further, there were negative correlations between subject' expressed self-confidence about public speaking (as assessed via a thought-listing procedure) and anxiety while giving a speech.