PUA 703 course banner

Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24)
by McCroskey, J. C. (1982)

The PRCA-24 is the instrument which is most widely used to measure communication apprehension. It is preferable above all earlier versions of the instrument (PRCA, PRCA10, PRCA-24B, etc.). It is highly reliable (alpha regularly >.90) and has very high predictive validity. It permits one to obtain sub-scores on the contexts of public speaking, dyadic interaction, small groups, and large groups. However, these scores are substantially less reliable than the total PRCA-24 scores-because of the reduced number of items. People interested only in public speaking anxiety should consider using the PRPSA rather than the public speaking sub-score drawn from the PRCA-24. It is much more reliable for this purpose.

This instrument is composed of twenty-four statements concerning feelings about communicating with others. Please indicate the degree to which each statement applies to you by marking how it applies to your feelings.

1. I dislike participating in group discussions.

2. Generally, I am comfortable while participating in group discussions.

3. I am tense and nervous while participating in group discussions.

4. I like to get involved in group discussions.

5. Engaging in a group discussion with new people makes me tense and nervous.

6. I am calm and relaxed while participating in group discussions.

7. Generally, I am nervous when I have to participate in a meeting.

8. Usually, I am comfortable when I have to participate in a meeting.

9. I am very calm and relaxed when I am called upon to express an opinion at a meeting..

10. I am afraid to express myself at meetings.

11. Communicating at meetings usually makes me uncomfortable.

12. I am very relaxed when answering questions at a meeting.

13. While participating in a conversation with a new acquaintance, I feel very nervous.

14. I have no fear of speaking up in conversations.

15. Ordinarily I am very tense and nervous in conversations.

16. Ordinarily I am very calm and relaxed in conversations.

17. While conversing with a new acquaintance, I feel very relaxed.

18. I'm afraid to speak up in conversations.

19. I have no fear of giving a speech.

20. Certain parts of my body feel very tense and rigid while giving a speech.

21. I feel relaxed while giving a speech.

22. My thoughts become confused and jumbled when I am giving a speech.

23. I face the prospect of giving a speech with confidence.

24. While giving a speech, I get so nervous I forget facts I really know.

Scores can range from 24-120.

NORMS FOR THE PRCA-24: (based on over 40,000 college students; data from over 3,000 non-student adults in a national sample provided virtually identical norms, within 0.20 for all scores.)

Your Results

Group Discussion Score (scores for items 2, 4, & 6) + (scores for items 1,3, & 5): 0
Interpersonal Score (scores for items 14, 16, & 17) + (scores for items 13, 15, & 18): 0
Meetings Score (scores for items 8, 9, & 12) + (scores for items 7, 10, & 11): 0
Public Speaking Score (scores for items 19, 21, & 23) + (scores for items 20, 22, &24): 0
Your total score for the PRCA:
( which is a total of your sub-scores)		 0

Interprting your results

Source:
McCroskey, J. C. (1982). An introduction to rhetorical communication (4th Ed). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.