Body sensations of higher and lower anxiety sensitive speakers anticipating a public presentation

The purpose of this study was to determine if higher and lower anxiety sensitive speakers would exhibit differential levels of four types of body sensations (gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary, disorientation, and numbness) while anticipating giving a public speech. The participants were eighty‐seven undergraduate students who gave five‐minute informative speeches. The Anxiety Sensitivity Index was used to measure anxiety sensitivity, and the Body Sensations Questionnaire was used to measure body sensations during the anticipatory period. The results showed a significant difference in body sensations between higher and lower anxiety sensitivity speakers for gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary and numbness sensations. There were no significant differences found for disorientation between higher and lower anxiety sensitive speakers.