VoiceNCT07392554
Virtual Reality as a Tool for Training Public Speaking Skills in Higher Education Students
A study testing Indirect Method and Direct Method in people with Voice and Speech, run by University of Liege at 1 site in Belgium.
Trial summary
According to the scientific literature, public speaking (PS) is an important skill for students to master. However, a large proportion of students do not feel comfortable speaking in public. PS anxiety impacts oral communication (i.e., voice and fluency). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Voice, Speech, Virtual Reality Simulation
- What is being tested?
- Indirect Method and Direct Method
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBelgium
- Study dates
- Mar 2026to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Higher education student
- Speaking french fluently
Who cannot join
- Hearing impairment
- Voice or fluency disorder at the time of the study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Belgium1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Liege
Liège, Liège, 4000
Lamia Bettahi, +32 4 3664651, lamia.bettahi@uliege.be
About this study
Official title: Virtual Reality as a Tool for Training Public Speaking Skills in Higher Education Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
According to the scientific literature, public speaking (PS) is an important skill for students to master. However, a large proportion of students do not feel comfortable speaking in public. PS anxiety impacts oral communication (i.e., voice and fluency). These changes can affect speaker's academic and professional success, as well as his credibility. Performing a high-quality PPP with confidence is therefore rarely an innate skill, but fortunately it can be trained and improved. Therefore, training PS skills in representative settings is crucial but often challenging for PS professionals (e.g., speech therapists, vocologists, coaches).
This project examines how oral communication skills training including simulations in virtual reality (VR) supports the acquisition of effective oral PS skills. Using acoustic analyses, outcomes from participants in the intervention group (N = 40) will be compared with those of a wait-list control group (N = 40) to determine whether significant differences emerge in filled pauses, speech rate, and vocal intonation during PS. Changes in PS self-efficacy will also be assessed. Regarding secondary outcomes, the study will evaluate changes in self-reported and physiological PS anxiety, as well as self-reported confidence as a speaker. Finally, self-perceived vocal effort during PS will be examined.
Read the detailed description
The present study is a randomized wait-list control trial, i.e. participants are randomly assigned to either the group that receives the intervention directly or the group that receives the intervention after a waiting period. First, both groups will receive a 1-hour session of information on general advice about PS (indirect method). Then the participants in the experimental group will receive three 1-hour sessions of voice and fluency training with VR practice moments for a period of 3 weeks (direct method). The control wait-list group will first wait for 3 weeks and then get the direct method training. The investigators will collect data from all participants in the first week (before the start of intervention for the experimental group), fourth week (right after the intervention for the experimental group and right before the first intervention session for the control group) and seventh week (three weeks after the intervention for the experimental group and right after the intervention for the control group).
- Conditions
- Voice, Speech, Virtual Reality Simulation, Healthy Adult
- Being tested
- Indirect Method, Direct Method
- Keywords
- Public Speaking, Oral Communication, Voice, Speech Fluency, Speech Therapy, Virtual Reality, Students, Training, Glossophobia, Anxiety, Verbal Behavior
- Medical subject headings
- Speech, Communication Disorders, Glossophobia, Anxiety Disorders, Verbal Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Indirect MethodBehavioural
- General information and advice on PS
Direct MethodBehavioural
- Learning effective PS oral skills using speech therapy exercises (e.g., modeling, audiovisual feedback) and VR simulations
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Arm | Experimental | * Indirect method: one information session on general advice about PS
* Direct method: three sessions of PS training including VR simulations over a course of 3 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Indirect Method; Behavioral: Direct Method |
| Wait-list control arm | Other | * Indirect method: one information session on general advice about PS
* Delayed direct method: after a waiting period of three weeks, three sessions of PS training including simulations over a course of 3 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Indirect Method; Behavioral: Direct Method |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Filled pauses
Measurements of participants' filled pauses (percentage of the total number of syllables produced) when PS in VR
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Speech rate
Measurements of participants' speech rate (in syllables per second) when PS in VR
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Voice intonation
Acoustic measurements of participants' voice variation (in semitones) when PS in VR
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
PS self-efficacy
Questionnaire on self-efficacy in PS
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Secondary outcomes (4)
Self-reported PS anxiety
Self-assessment of perceived anxiety using the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS)
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Physiological PS anxiety
Measurements of participants' heart rate (in bpm) when PS in VR
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Self-reported confidence as a speaker
Self-assessment of confidence as a speaker using the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker (PRCS) short-form questionnaire
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Self-perceived vocal effort
Self-assessment of perceived vocal effort using the Adapted BORG Category Ratio (CR-10) physical exertion scale
Measured: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Feb 2026
- Study startMar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for VoiceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Liege
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lamia BETTAHI, University of Liege
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07392554
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CE 2526-003 - FRESH FC 52277
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Virtual Reality as a Tool for Training Public Speaking Skills in Higher Education Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07392554
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CE 2526-003 - FRESH FC 52277
- Conditions
- Voice, Speech, Virtual Reality Simulation, Healthy Adult
- Keywords
- Public Speaking, Oral Communication, Voice, Speech Fluency, Speech Therapy, Virtual Reality, Students, Training
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of LiegeUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Study start
- Mar 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 6 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
According to the scientific literature, public speaking (PS) is an important skill for students to master. However, a large proportion of students do not feel comfortable speaking in public. PS anxiety impacts oral communication (i.e., voice and fluency). These changes can affect speaker's academic and professional success, as well as his credibility. Performing a high-quality PPP with confidence is therefore rarely an innate skill, but fortunately it can be trained and improved. Therefore, training PS skills in representative settings is crucial but often challenging for PS professionals (e.g., speech therapists, vocologists, coaches).
This project examines how oral communication skills training including simulations in virtual reality (VR) supports the acquisition of effective oral PS skills. Using acoustic analyses, outcomes from participants in the intervention group (N = 40) will be compared with those of a wait-list control group (N = 40) to determine whether significant differences emerge in filled pauses, speech rate, and vocal intonation during PS. Changes in PS self-efficacy will also be assessed. Regarding secondary outcomes, the study will evaluate changes in self-reported and physiological PS anxiety, as well as self-reported confidence as a speaker. Finally, self-perceived vocal effort during PS will be examined.
Detailed description
The present study is a randomized wait-list control trial, i.e. participants are randomly assigned to either the group that receives the intervention directly or the group that receives the intervention after a waiting period. First, both groups will receive a 1-hour session of information on general advice about PS (indirect method). Then the participants in the experimental group will receive three 1-hour sessions of voice and fluency training with VR practice moments for a period of 3 weeks (direct method). The control wait-list group will first wait for 3 weeks and then get the direct method training. The investigators will collect data from all participants in the first week (before the start of intervention for the experimental group), fourth week (right after the intervention for the experimental group and right before the first intervention session for the control group) and seventh week (three weeks after the intervention for the experimental group and right after the intervention for the control group).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Arm | Experimental | Behavioral: Indirect Method, Behavioral: Direct Method* Indirect method: one information session on general advice about PS * Direct method: three sessions of PS training including VR simulations over a course of 3 weeks. |
| Wait-list control arm | Other | Behavioral: Indirect Method, Behavioral: Direct Method* Indirect method: one information session on general advice about PS * Delayed direct method: after a waiting period of three weeks, three sessions of PS training including simulations over a course of 3 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Higher education student
- Speaking french fluently
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Hearing impairment
- Voice or fluency disorder at the time of the study
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Indirect Method• General information and advice on PS | Behavioural | Intervention Arm, Wait-list control arm |
| Direct Method• Learning effective PS oral skills using speech therapy exercises (e.g., modeling, audiovisual feedback) and VR simulations | Behavioural | Intervention Arm, Wait-list control arm |
Primary outcome
Filled pauses
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Measurements of participants' filled pauses (percentage of the total number of syllables produced) when PS in VR
Speech rate
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Measurements of participants' speech rate (in syllables per second) when PS in VR
Voice intonation
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Acoustic measurements of participants' voice variation (in semitones) when PS in VR
PS self-efficacy
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Questionnaire on self-efficacy in PS
4 secondary outcomes
Self-reported PS anxiety
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Physiological PS anxiety
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Self-reported confidence as a speaker
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Self-perceived vocal effort
Time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Voice
Recruiting
False Vocal Fold vs EMG Guided Botox for Vocal Tremor
Vocal Tremor
Recruiting
Our Voices Matter: Intervention for Depression in Youth
Depressive Symptoms, Allostatic Load
Not yet recruitingPhase 1/2
Ficerafusp Alfa, Pembrolizumab, and Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, HPV-Negative Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Active, not recruitingObservational study
VOICE-Early Response to Vedolizumab and IL-23 Antagonists in Participants With Crohn's Disease: A Prospective Observational Study
Crohn's Disease
Not yet recruiting
Endotracheal Tube Versus Transcartilage Needle Electrodes for Nerve Monitoring in Thyroid Surgery
Thyroid Diseases, Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Indirect Method and Direct Method in people with Voice and Speech, run by University of Liege at 1 site in Belgium.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Belgium. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Filled pauses (time frame: Week 1(baseline), 4 and 7). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Feb 2026.