Public speaking anxiety is a common challenge among undergraduates, shaped by interconnected

findings were aligned with Communication Apprehension Theory, confirming the multidimensional and

interrelated nature of public speaking anxiety. Since physical arousal can trigger negative thoughts and

avoidance behaviours, effective interventions should address all three facets. In higher education,

communication courses should combine content delivery with anxiety-management skills such as relaxation,

step-by-step exposure, and peer feedback. Lecturers can also be trained to identify anxiety symptoms and

foster supportive environments. Future research should track changes in anxiety over time, explore students’

experiences qualitatively, test which interventions best target each facet, and examine cultural differences in

anxiety expression.

common to deliver public speaking with a little to high level of anxiety. Abdeldaiem, Al-Zahraa, Fouad &

Mokhtar (2020) in their study, found out that 78% of 400 students had anxiety while speaking in front of the

audience and 26% had severe stress that led to a phobia of public speaking. The finding is also supported by

Marinho et al. (2017) when they stated that public speaking is the most commonly feared situation in their

research population.

Public speaking anxiety is very common, especially among undergraduate students, due to lack of public

speaking skills and experience. Ch’ng (2025) also identified several key contributors to public speaking

anxiety related to these two factors, namely fear of making mistakes, negative feedback and unpreparedness.

Due to these contributors, students may experience anxiety in various types and dimensions. Siddique, Raja

and Hussain (2020) stated that public speaking anxiety could affect both the cognitive and physiological

There are quite a number of studies that have examined how the three facets affect public speaking anxiety, but

most of the studies investigated each facet in isolation. Moving into 2026, with the way people communicate

continuing to evolve, there is growing interest in how the three facets, which are cognitive, physiological and

behavioural, interact with one another. Data obtained from studying the effects of these facets could be linked

to create a more comprehensive understanding of public speaking anxiety.

Public speaking anxiety, also known as PSA, is one of the most common communication issues that affects not

only students but also many professional speakers (Muhibbah & Amalia, 2025). The anxiety occurs not only

among English language learners but also across cultures and disciplines. Undergraduate students cannot avoid

delivering speeches or presentations, as they are often required to present in academic courses, participate in

thoughts that are happening during the public speaking (Gallego et al., 2022). Physiological facet may give the

speaker uncomfortable conditions due to rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling and shortness of breath

(McKroskey, 1977). A behavioural facet may affect the overall performance, as the speaker might be rushing

through speech or relying too much on the notes (Mckroskey, 1977).

However, it is possible that one student is facing a physiological facet such as sweating or rapid heartbeat,

which then leads to a cognitive facet which makes him unable to think of the next point that he wants to say.

Research such as Ibrahim et al. (2021) only focused on exploring the fear of public speaking through social

cognitive theory and grieve, Woodley, Hunt and McKay (2021) focused on the behavioural impacts on

speaking performance. This study believes that more studies should be conducted to link all three facets and to

study how they are related to one another. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate how all the three

communication with others. Four forms of communication apprehension were identified by McCroskey

(1977), which were trait-like apprehension, context-based apprehension, audience-based apprehension and

situational apprehension. The theory mainly suggests that communication apprehension affects multiple

dimensions of human functioning. It is not just about the common feeling of nervousness but also affects

cognitive processing, physiological arousal and behavioural patterns.

In this study, the three dimensions are operationalised as the cognitive, physiological and behavioural facets

measured by the research questionnaire. The cognitive facet is directly linked to McCroskey’s (1977) belief

The physiological facet reflects McCroskey’s (1977) view that linked anxiety level with the body responses.

The theory suggests that when individuals are having communication anxiety, their body will react

accordingly, such as by having short breath and a rapid heartbeat. It can still be controlled by some individuals

if it is just a small arousal, but excessive arousal can really affect speaking performance (Bodie, 2010).

Excessive arousal caused by physiological factors could make individuals feel uncomfortable performing

public speaking; hence, it will affect the focus to deliver effective public speaking.

insights before actually performing any given academic tasks and evaluations. Ellis (2015) stated that when a

learner possesses poor linguistic ability, it might affect the anxiety level when required to perform related

tasks. Roosdianna et al. (2018) highlights that limited vocabulary, lack of confidence and excessive tasks to

accomplish are the three main factors that impede learners’ speaking competence.

receive little positive feedback and responses (Day & Gu, 2013; Siyli & Kafes, 2015). This condition usually

develops a tendency for self-criticism and self-monitoring actions that impede students’ overall performance.

The sense of anxiety through different stages of public speaking will reduce the students’ self-efficacy. Rajitha

and Alamelu (2020) disclosed that anxiety appears when students lack the confidence to make an impression

on the audience by questioning their capabilities.

Attia et al. (2022) further add that communication styles, physical actions and reactions are used to measure

including peers and educators, especially in large classrooms, also have a direct influence on how a student

disclose that the concern towards personal embarrassment and negative judgements by others are linked with

social anxiety in public speaking.

In conclusion, this section discusses the underlying theory and possible causes of public speaking anxiety. The

There are many studies that have been conducted to investigate the causes, experiences and coping

mechanisms related to public speaking anxiety, especially among students, who are very common victims of

the issue. These studies examined cognitive, physiological, and behavioural factors that influence performance

during oral presentations.

negative self-talk and audience perception could lead to public speaking anxiety among undergraduate

students. The respondents of this study were 209 undergraduate students from a southeastern U.S. public

university. The data were collected by using two instruments, which were the Personal Report of Public

Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) and a self-developed questionnaire that assessed thought patterns during speeches.

The study found out respondents with higher PSA scores were more likely to engage in negative thoughts and

to perceive neutral audience responses as signs of disapproval. The implications suggest that interventions

focusing on cognitive reframing and audience interpretation could help to reduce anxiety levels.

Next, the study by Siddique, Raja and Hussain (2020) investigated the factors and the reasons behind speaking

that self-efficacy and speaking anxiety were negatively correlated. The speaking anxiety, in fact, had an

inverse effect on self-efficacy. In other words, if a student feels very nervous or anxious when speaking the

the importance of reducing speaking anxiety in English language learning to enhance students’ self-efficacy.

Language teachers and instructors should implement supportive teaching strategies, create a low-anxiety

classroom environment and most importantly, provide positive feedback to the students. These can help the

students to gain confidence that can lead to better learning outcomes.

In summary, past studies consistently show that both cognitive and physiological factors contribute to public

speaking anxiety. They also highlight the need for interventions that focus on both thought patterns and

physiological regulation. An intervention such as providing supportive practice environments was also

apprehension is trait apprehension and this is caused by the person’s individual characteristics. In the context

Figure 1 below shows the conceptual framework of the study. According to Bartholomay & Houlihan (2016),

there are three facets of public speaking anxiety. The first is cognitive facet and this is portrayed when the

speakers are nervous that they will embarrass themselves in front of the audience. It can also refer to the

speakers not feeling satisfied when the speech is over. The second facet is the behavioural facet. This refers to

the speakers finding it difficult to make eye contact with the audience. The last facet is the physiological facet.

This is the speakers feeling tense before the speech. It could also refer to the speakers not feeling relaxed prior

to the speech. The last facet is physiological.

Figure 1- Conceptual Framework of the Study

This quantitative study was conducted to explore the perception of students on public speaking anxiety. A

Table 1 below shows the categories used for the Likert scale; 1 is for Never, 2 is for Rarely, 3 is for

public speaking anxiety. Based on the above figure, the highest mean score was recorded for item 3: “My heart

pounds when I give a speech” (M = 3.4, SD = 1.1). This suggests that cardiovascular responses are a very

common physical reaction to anxiety in public speaking situations. The mean score was then followed by item

2: “I feel tense before giving a speech” (M = 3.1, SD = 1.0) and item 5: “I do not feel relaxed while giving a