Effect of Communication Skills Training by Workshop and Virtual Methods on Social Phobia in Nursing Students: A Comparative Study

Background: Considering the negative impact of social phobia on social interactions and the positive effect of communication skills training on this condition, the literature on the training methods that would be suitable for people with this condition seems deficient. This study aimed to compare the effect of communication skills training delivered via workshop and virtual methods on social phobia in nursing students. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 30 undergraduate nursing students of Mashhad School of Nursing and Midwifery were randomly assigned to two groups of workshop training (n=15) and virtual training (n=15). Workshop-based and virtual (online) trainings were provided in two sessions with a one-day interval. Social phobia was measured by Connor’s Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) before the intervention, after the intervention, and one month after the intervention. Data were analyzed in SPSS software v.16 using the independent t-test, chi-square test, and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The independent t-test showed no statistically significant difference between the mean social phobia scores of the two groups before the intervention (p = 0.96), after the intervention (p = 0.16), or one month after the intervention (p = 0.43). Conclusion: Since students with social phobia tend to avoid social interactions, depending on available educational facilities, both virtual and workshop-based methods of communication skills training can be used to reduce social phobia in these students.