Cognitive Modification

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Cognitive Modification focuses treatment on changing the negative thoughts a person produces that cause them anxiety about public speaking. These thoughts can either be about failing or fearfulness of being judged by peers. Typically, Cognitive Modification follows three steps: "1.) Discussing specific fears about public speaking including 2.) negative self statements, and then, a trained therapist 3.) shows how each belief is irrational and introduces a coping statement (e.g. " I can handle this") that can be used while speaking. In the case of the video clip below, George's father uses "serenity now" to calm his anger. These are different feelings but they coping statements are both those designed to change a certain behavior. In the video, while George's father would normally get extremely angry, his coping statement reminds him to keep his cool. These kinds of therapy are well suited for maladaptive perfectionists perfectionists and those who cannot picture themselves succeeding. Such as, those with low self esteem. One form of Cognitive modification, visualization, entails high trait PSAs envisioning themselves as successful. Participants in the studies who managed this treatment effectively saw quick results in lowering CA levels.