Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Augmented Reality Technology on Physical Factors and Public Speaking Anxiety

Considering the importance of speaking in public and the negative impact of Public Speaking Anxiety in professional and everyday situations, researchers have turned to new technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality in addition to traditional psychological treatments to reduce this anxiety. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Augmented Reality Technology in physical factors and Public Speaking Anxiety.

The current research is a semi-experimental type with a pre-test, post-test design and a control group. The statistical population is all students who suffered from Public Speaking Anxiety disorder and attended Mazandaran clinics during 2021-2022. The research sample consisted of 45 participants randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (15 individuals in the cognitive behavioral therapy group, 15 individuals in the Augmented Reality technology group, and 15 individuals in the control group) using convenience sampling. The first group received cognitive behavioral therapy according to the protocol developed by Khodayari Fard and Abedini (2013). In the second group, patient's tests were assessed using physiological feedback (heart rate, body temperature, and sweating) from sensors attached to the patient's bodies and the simultaneous use of proposed Augmented Reality scenario.  The (Bartholomay & Houlihan, 2016) Public Speaking Anxiety Scale was used for all three groups before and after therapy. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical analysis of covariance tests.

The results show that cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in Public Speaking Anxiety and some of its components, namely the cognitive (Eta factor 0.77), behavioral (Eta factor 0.74), and physiological (Eta factor 0.62) subscales of students. The results also show that Augmented Reality technology is effective in physical factors such as sweating (Eta factor 0.62), body temperature (Eta factor 0.58), and heart rate (Eta factor 0.61) of students. the average Public Speaking Anxiety of the experimental group in the Augmented Reality technology method (33.40) in the post-test phase is less than the cognitive-behavioral method (37.40). Also, treatment in the stage of (Psychologist + Sensors + proposed Augmented Reality scenario) has reduced the duration of recovery in comparison with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

Both treatment methods (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Augmented Reality Technology) are effective in reducing Public Speaking Anxiety and related physical factors; But the effect of Augmented Reality Technology, especially in reducing the duration of treatment, is greater than that of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. These results suggest the necessity of using augmented reality technology in the treatment of Public Speaking Anxiety.