Psychological Reports, 1991, 69, 673-674.
O Psychological Reports 1991
DROPPING OUT: RELATIONSHIP O F SPEAKING ANXIETY TO SELF-ESTEEM, CRIME, A N D EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT' ARNOLD D. WITHERSPOON, CAROLYN K. LONG, AND EUGENIE B. NICKELL Auburn Uniuersiiy at Montgomery Summary.-This study focused on the relationship that anxiety about speaking has to educational achievemenc, self-esteem, and type of crlme The data gathered from 46 female felons indicated significant relationships and suggested that programs designed to decrease anxiety about speaking can be effectively presenred. Perhaps such treatment should be the first step in developing and correcting deficiencies in skills thereby preventing the skid toward dropping out and delinquency.
In an achievement-oriented society, personal communication skills can greatly influence the alternatives available for coping successfully. Researchers have consistently found that individuals lacking in educational achievement, including delinquents and school dropouts, often show poor communication skills (Deblois, 1989; Wilson & Herrnstein, 1985). Evidence indicates that excessive anxiety is observed in those reporting deficiencies in communication skills (McCroskey, 1978) and anxiety often accompanies poor selfesteem (Burns, 1979; Rosenberg, 1986). For some, excessive anxiety may be the common denominator for low self-esteem, poor communication skills, and low educational achievement. These terms describe youths destined to a low economic and perhaps criminal future. Dropping out of school further contributes to financial, social, and self-esteem problems. These additional pressures, compounded by anxiety about speaking, may increase inclination to committing crimes, especially crimes directed against persons. For those lacking verbal proficiency, we suspect their problems are more interpersonal and thus their violations are aimed towards individuals instead of property. This study compared anxiety about speaking (Paul, 1966) and educational achievements of 46 female prisoners. Of the 30 inmates who had dropped out of school, the 9 who later earned a G E D reported significantly h g h e r anxiety about speaking (M = 22.8, SD = 8.24) than those (n = 21, M = 15.2, SD = 7.23) who dropped out of school but earned no G E D (t,, = 1.98, p
O Psychological Reports 1991
DROPPING OUT: RELATIONSHIP O F SPEAKING ANXIETY TO SELF-ESTEEM, CRIME, A N D EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT' ARNOLD D. WITHERSPOON, CAROLYN K. LONG, AND EUGENIE B. NICKELL Auburn Uniuersiiy at Montgomery Summary.-This study focused on the relationship that anxiety about speaking has to educational achievemenc, self-esteem, and type of crlme The data gathered from 46 female felons indicated significant relationships and suggested that programs designed to decrease anxiety about speaking can be effectively presenred. Perhaps such treatment should be the first step in developing and correcting deficiencies in skills thereby preventing the skid toward dropping out and delinquency.
In an achievement-oriented society, personal communication skills can greatly influence the alternatives available for coping successfully. Researchers have consistently found that individuals lacking in educational achievement, including delinquents and school dropouts, often show poor communication skills (Deblois, 1989; Wilson & Herrnstein, 1985). Evidence indicates that excessive anxiety is observed in those reporting deficiencies in communication skills (McCroskey, 1978) and anxiety often accompanies poor selfesteem (Burns, 1979; Rosenberg, 1986). For some, excessive anxiety may be the common denominator for low self-esteem, poor communication skills, and low educational achievement. These terms describe youths destined to a low economic and perhaps criminal future. Dropping out of school further contributes to financial, social, and self-esteem problems. These additional pressures, compounded by anxiety about speaking, may increase inclination to committing crimes, especially crimes directed against persons. For those lacking verbal proficiency, we suspect their problems are more interpersonal and thus their violations are aimed towards individuals instead of property. This study compared anxiety about speaking (Paul, 1966) and educational achievements of 46 female prisoners. Of the 30 inmates who had dropped out of school, the 9 who later earned a G E D reported significantly h g h e r anxiety about speaking (M = 22.8, SD = 8.24) than those (n = 21, M = 15.2, SD = 7.23) who dropped out of school but earned no G E D (t,, = 1.98, p
