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The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of behavior modification techniques for students to reduce Stage Fright or performance anxiety. Stage fright and anxiety in the students were developed due to various causes and Students were selected for the study on the basis of their Subjective Unit of Distress Scale developed by Wolpe (1992). The students were assessed pre and post intervention. we used the questionnaire Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety - 34 (PRPSA) developed by McCroskey (2013) and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale developed by Rosenberg (1965) in order to determine the level of anxiety, that a student experiences while performing a speech and measures global self-worth by measuring both positive and negative feelings about the self respectively. This is the study of forty student of IX standard, Kendriya Vidyalaya, they were very diffident to present themselves on the stage. The students were assessed pre intervention and intervened with Behaviour Modification techniques for the period of Six weeks. The student's stage fright and self esteem were reassessed after the period of six weeks. The results of the study reflected that the students experienced significantly less anxiety / stage fright, decreased in their Subjective Unit of Distress Scale and increase in the self esteem. This shows that Behaviour Modification techniques are efficient in reducing stage fright, performance anxiety and increase in self esteem.
Keywords: stage fright, behaviour modification, public speaking anxiety, self esteem, emotional response
Stage Fright goes by several different terms like fear of Public speaking, Performance Anxiety, Communication apprehension, etc. by any means it is the intense and debilitating fear of being "on" in front of people. "Stage Fright" is a state of severe anxiety or nervousness prior to or during a performance in front of the audience (DSM-IV). People who have been filled with dread at the mere thought of getting up in front of a group of people, this perspective leads to drain the confidence and self esteem. Stage fright though is something we all felt at one point to prepare to the demands of a performance is not only done on stage, during rehearsals or training. It is essentially the way we bring into play ourselves in our daily lives.
In its mildest forms we experience...