THPS Diagnostic

The Clinical Standard for Speaking Performance Activation

Executive Summary

In the THPS Standard, the THPS Diagnostic is our proprietary assessment framework to identify the neurological and biomechanical bottlenecks in a speaker's delivery. Unlike generic "public speaking tips," the THPS Diagnostic utilizes a data-driven approach to measure how the Sympathetic Adrenomedullary System inhibits or activates an individual's existing communication skills under high-stakes pressure.

The Five Pillars of the THPS Diagnostic

Neuro-Mechanical Screening

Assessing the "Freeze, Flight, Fight, or Fawn" response levels on a 1–10 scale to determine the degree of Skill Inhibition.

VVIQ (Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire)

VVIQ scores are related to your ability to “think in images” (or not) when speaking without a script.

Cognitive Load Mapping (Image Prompting)

Measuring how VVIQ (“thinking in images”) affects your ability to speak and modulate your voice naturally under pressure.

Cognitive Load Mapping (Category Prompting)

Measuring how your non-visual semantic processing (“thinking in categories”) is affects your ability to speak and modulate your voice naturally under pressure.

Vocal Inhibition Analysis

A biomechanical audit of the laryngeal and pharyngeal response to stress. We map Vocal Inhibition using the THPS “Sound Change” assessment, which tests participants’ abilities to produce a range of vocal intensities from 1 to 5.

Conclusion

By moving away from subjective feedback and toward objective metrics, the THPS Diagnostic provides a "Mise en Place" for the training process. It allows for the transition from Skill Acquisition (learning to speak) to Autonomous Mastery (performing under pressure). This diagnostic is the required first step for all executive and keynote training cycles at the Adelaide CBD Hub and for global virtual clients.

This concept is one of many core concepts under the THPS Glossary and THPS Standard for elite-level public speaking skills and training.