Assessment Instruments for Social Anxiety in Oral and Public Communication Among Health Sciences Students: Protocol for a Scoping Review

Background: Interpersonal communication and social skills are crucial for academic and professional development, especially in the health sciences. Social anxiety—often triggered by oral presentations and group interactions—can impair cognitive performance, emotional well-being, and the acquisition of essential competencies. The post-pandemic academic landscape has intensified stress levels, underscoring the need for reliable tools to assess social anxiety in oral communication among health sciences students. Objective: This scoping review aims to map instruments used to assess social anxiety related to oral communication and public speaking in health sciences students, analyzing their psychometric properties, cultural adaptations, and contexts of application. Methods: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, BVS, LILACS, and Web of Science. Eligible studies assessed social or performance anxiety in undergraduate or graduate health sciences students using validated or culturally adapted instruments. Two independent reviewers screened studies via Rayyan, with a third resolving discrepancies. Data extraction included both structural and content variables, and results will be analyzed through descriptive statistics and thematic synthesis. Results: The initial search yielded 939 records, with 89 duplicates removed. Ongoing screening is mapping instruments by type, psychometric rigor, and educational context. Preliminary results reveal variability in methodological quality and cultural adaptation, exposing gaps in cross-cultural validation and external applicability. Conclusions: This review will consolidate knowledge on psychometric instruments assessing social anxiety in oral communication among health sciences students. By identifying gaps in validation and use, it will support the development of more robust diagnostic tools, guide evidence-based educational practices, and foster communication competence in healthcare training. Keywords: Social anxiety; Oral communication; Public speaking; Health sciences students; Psychometric validation; Scoping review; Academic performance