Fear of Public Speaking-The Role of the SLP

Although there are some individuals who have a true phobia of speaking in a public forum, public speaking is usually near the top of any list of activities that most individuals dislike, fear, or avoid. Such nonphobic speakers are the subjects of this article. They comprise individuals who, for various reasons, are (or fear they will be) inadequate speakers. This article is based on extensive clinical experience with such individuals. It describes some basic causes for these fears; considers evaluative and treatment procedures; and provides a rationale for the involvement of the speech-language pathologist in "wellness" management. For the purposes of this article, public speaking is defined as speaking before any group of individuals, regardless of the group's size.