Beyond social phobia: A review of the background, manifestations and varied therapeutic approaches for performance anxiety

Performance anxiety is ubiquitous in our present culture and is considered one of the most prevalent forms of anxiety. The famous actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld once joked, “ At a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy!” While nearly eighty percent of people experience some form of anxiety when they are the center of attention, individuals who experience performance anxiety are severely distressed and debilitated by their anxiety (Plaut, 1990). In most cases, performance anxiety threatens to restrain an individual’s profession, goals, education, relationships or daily life activities. While the phenomenon of acute anxiety is commonly labeled as stage fright in the world of the performing arts, in psychological literature it is rarely specified or considered a diagnosable mental health disorder. It is often clustered with specific phobias or social phobia. Indeed, performance anxiety is not an experience solely limited to actors, musicians, singers and dancers. It affects athletes, politicians, writers, students, professionals, leaders, and individuals in all walks of life. For this reason, it is essential that clinicians become educated in the etiology, symptoms, manifestations and therapeutic approaches of performance anxiety.

Dissertation/Thesis

English

Giti, S. M. (2011, May). Beyond social phobia: A review of the background, manifestations and varied therapeutic approaches for performance anxiety. Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, California