❝Men had the lowest PSA scores, with women scoring nearly 1.5 times higher and non-binary individuals almost twice as high as men.❞
While PSA among higher education students is widespread, research on demographic predictors of PSA is limited and the findings are mixed. Previous research on demographic predictors of PSA among higher education students does not provide a coherent picture of which groups of students are most at-risk of having PSA. Findings on gender are mixed, research on non-binary students is nonexistent, and several theoretically important demographic characteristics have not been examined.
In the present study, we aim to fill the research gap by investigating six demographic predictors of PSA among higher education students – age, gender, nationality, high school type, study level, and field of study – aiming to provide a clearer picture of who the most at-risk of PSA students are. We work with a rich sample of students from a single university in the Czech Republic. Our study provides a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge on PSA, offering practical implications for educators, administrators, and mental health professionals working within academic settings. We address the question “How do demographic factors influence PSA among higher education students?”
Our multivariate regression analysis identified gender, type of high school, and study level as significant predictors of public speaking anxiety, whereas age, nationality, and field of study were not. The study found that women, non-binary individuals, graduates of academic high schools, and bachelor’s students are more prone to public speaking anxiety. These findings highlight the need for targeted intervention and support strategies for students with higher levels of public speaking anxiety.