Abstract

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is a common problem that affects a large proportion of the population. The distress caused by PSA appears to lie on a continuum. For some, PSA can cause functional impairments in areas of work, and social life. Although treatment in the form of exposure combined with cognitive restructuring yields a large effect size, around 25% of patients fail to respond to this form of treatment, possibly due to their use of avoidance strategies that inhibit the habituation process.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers an alternative treatment option for those with PSA, as ACT fosters willingness to approach previously feared contexts while also encouraging mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and values pursuance. Initial ACT research is promising in the field of anxiety, however, only a limited and inconclusive evidence base exists for the efficacy of ACT to treat PSA, with an over-reliance on group studies and trials not designed to measure mediating processes.

This study investigated whether a self-help ACT intervention reduced participants’ PSA, and if so, which ACT processes were responsible for these reductions; using a multi single-case experimental design. Findings are discussed in relation to ACT processes and implications for intervention.