Treating individuals with debilitating performance anxiety: An introduction

Summary & key facts

This article introduces a journal issue about debilitating performance anxiety. It says clinicians often treat problems like public speaking anxiety, stage fright, test-taking anxiety, and writing block that can threaten careers or make people perform below their abilities. The article notes an estimated 2% of the U.S. population has this problem and reviews behavioral, cognitive, and technological treatments that have shown promise and are described as effective.

Key facts:

• Clinicians often see clients with debilitating performance anxiety, including public speaking anxiety, stage fright, test-taking anxiety, and writing block.
• The article says the condition can be so severe that it may threaten a person's academic or professional career.
• Musicians and athletes also seek help because anxiety before and during an event can make them perform well below their demonstrated capabilities.
• An estimated 2% of the U.S. population is afflicted by debilitating performance anxiety (as reported in the article).
• The article states that effective treatments are now available for debilitating performance anxiety.
• The article reviews behavioral, cognitive, and technological therapies that have shown great promise for treating people with debilitating performance anxiety.

Abstract

Clinicians often see clients who have debilitating performance anxiety. They suffer from public speaking anxiety, stage fright, test-taking anxiety, and writing block. Their condition is so severe as to threaten to end their academic or professional career. Musicians and athletes also seek help because their anxiety before and during an event causes them to perform at a level well below their demonstrated capabilities. An estimated 2% of the U.S. population is afflicted by debilitating performance anxiety. Effective treatments are now available. This article reviews those behavioral, cognitive, and technological therapies that have shown great promise for treating individuals who have debilitating performance anxiety and introduces this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session devoted to this topic.

Topics

Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Neuroscience and Music Perception Sport Psychology and Performance

Categories

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Athletes Clinical psychology Cognition Computer science Environmental health Medicine Physical therapy Population Psychiatry Psychology Psychotherapist Session (web analytics) World Wide Web