Evaluating communication apprehension among Undergraduates of four malaysian higher institutions

Abstract

Communication apprehension is a prevalent occurrence among individuals that is not easily managed. Communication fear is unavoidable, whether one is in secondary school, college studies, or in the working stage. Communication apprehension is the term used to describe the anxiety or fear that arises when one is required to talk or convey their thoughts in the presence of others. The presence of this fear can have a substantial effect on both an individual's academic and personal life, resulting in feelings of worry, tension, and subpar performance in tasks connected to communication (McCroskey, 2009). This issue is not only occurring in Malaysia, but globally. Ireland (2020) found that accounting graduates demonstrate inadequate proficiency in delivering oral presentations. The study conducted by Rust, Gentry, and Ford (2020) provides evidence that communication apprehension is a significant issue among pharmacy students in the United States.

Although there is an increasing amount of research on communication apprehension, there is a dearth of comprehensive studies specifically examining undergraduates in Malaysia. This study seeks to fill this void by investigating the frequency of communication fear among undergraduate students in four Malaysian higher education institutions.