Prevalence and determinants of public speaking anxiety in family medicine residents

Abstract

: To estimate the prevalence and to explore the determinants of public speech anxiety (PSA) among family medicine trainees at the Joint Program of Family Medicine, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2020. A cross-sectional study was conducted online for 131 residents who completed the original version (34 items) of the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) scale. The PRPSA score (range 34-170) was calculated as the sum of the item scores, and three PSA levels were defined including low (PRPSA score <98), moderate (PRPSA score 98-131), and high (PRPSA score>131). Sociodemographic and academic data were collected and analyzed as factors of PSA. The mean PRPSA was 100.27 out of 170 (SD = 18.10). Of the participants, 55.0% had moderate and 6.9% had high PRPSA scores. Female participants had a higher percentage of moderate (61.5% vs 45.3%) and high (9.0% vs 3.8%) PRPSA scores compared with males, respectively (p=0.041). A previous negative experience with public speech was also associated with a higher percentage of moderate (73.7% vs 47.3%) and high (15.8% vs 3.2%) PRPSA scores compared to absence of such an experience (p<0.001). Likewise, participants with a family history of social anxiety had a higher risk of increased PRPSA (p=0.022). The latency and high prevalence of PSA among family medicine residents highlight the relevance of incorporating curricula to enhance public speaking and communication skills among medical trainees.