Psychological Perspectives on Fear of Flying

Robert Bor DPhil CPsychol AFBPsS UKCP Reg FRAeS is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Royal Free Hospital, London and Visiting Professor of Psychology at London Metropolitan and City Universities, London. He is a Chartered Clinical, Counselling and Health Psychologist and is also a Registered Psychotherapist. He teaches on the MSc in Air Transport Management at City University, London. He provides a 'Fear of Flying' therapy service at the Royal Free Travel Health Clinic. He also acts as a consultant in aviation psychology to a number of airlines and is extensively involved in pilot mental health services. He has published several books and journal articles on aviation psychology. His recent book 'Passenger Behaviour' was also published by Ashgate. He has a Private Pilot's Licence (with ratings). Dr Lucas van Gerwen is a Clinical Psychologist, Registered Psychotherapist, Health Psychologist and a professional pilot. He works for the VALK Foundation, a collaborative venture between the University of Leiden, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Amsterdam Airport Schipol with the aim of helping people to overcome their fear of flying. He is an EAAP (European Association of Aviation Psychology) registered aviation psychologist. He provides stress management training for student pilots with the KLM flying school. He has published several books and journal articles on aviation psychology. He is the founding father of the International World Conferences on Fear of Flying.

’With the increasing accessibility of worldwide destinations, both near and far, the psychological effects of air travel have become increasingly more recognised. This welcome book focuses on one of the most important aspects, fear of flying, and provides a comprehensive description of the topic as well as management of this phobia. As such, this book will become a must have on the shelf for health care professionals involved in the discipline of travel medicine.’ Dr Jane N Zuckerman, Royal Free & University College Medical School, London, UK 'Whereas fear of flying represented the norm a hundred years ago when few dared to fly, now the public is generally at ease while flying. Fear of flying today represents not only a social and professional handicap, but possibly a mental or emotional symptom as well. This book summarizes a base of sound, peer-reviewed literature, seasoned by presentation at a series of international conferences. The authors-aviation-oriented mental health professionals, some of whom are pilots-have produced a scholarly, well-edited and readable review of the differential diagnosis and treatment of this disabling condition. The papers review modern psychological approaches, including psychological assessment instruments, cognitive-behavioral and rational-emotive therapies and virtual reality modalities, and provide practical information for gate officials and aircrew who must deal with fearful fliers before and during flight. Any therapist from the medical, aeromedical or mental health disciplines who must deal with fearful fliers as clients, patients or even as family members, will benefit from reading and applying the information this book provides.' David R. Jones, M.D., M.P.H., Consultant in Aerospace Psychiatry, Montgomery, AL , USA ’An authoritative and comprehensive work...’ Airways ’The text is a masterful work of scientific research on fear of flying, well packaged, and thoughtfully presented. Buy one for your li

• Contents: Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of people who self-refer for treatment for their fear of flying, Lucas van Gerwen; The influence of the media on perception of risk associated with flying, Neil J. McLean; The effect of information about aviation on fearful flyers, Marco Verschragen, Claudia de Zeeuw and Lucas van Gerwen; Construction and psychometric characteristics of two self-report questionnaires for the assessment of fear of flying, Lucas van Gerwen, Philip Spinhoven, Richard van Dyck and Rene F.W. Diekstra; Personality pathology and fear of flying: cognitive-behavioural treatment outcome, Christelle Delorme and Lucas van Gerwen; Cognitive coping and anxiety among people with fear of flying, Vivian Kraaij, Nadia Garnefski and Lucas van Gerwen; Multi-dimensional approaches to the treatment of passenger fear of flying - practical and contextual challenges, Richard J. Roberts; Rational emotive behaviour therapy for a fear of flying, Kasia Szymanska; Cognitive-behavioural treatment of fear of flying - follow-up at two years, Øivind Ekeberg, Johannes Arnesen and Ingerid Seeberg; Multi-component standardised cognitive-behavioural group treatment programme for fear of flying, Lucas van Gerwen; Brief, solution-focused psychological treatment for fear of flying, Robert Bor; Virtual reality exposure therapy in the treatment of fear of flying, Page L. Anderson, Barbara Olasov Rothbaum and Larry F. Hodges; Computer-assisted therapy for flight phobia, Xavier Bornas, Miquel Tortella-Feliu and Jordi Llabrés; Flight crew involvement in the fear of flying, Michael P. Tomaro; Putting fear to flight: cases in psychological treatment, Elaine Iljon Foreman; Index.