PEOPLE WHO SEEK HELP FOR FEAR OF FLYING - TYPOLOGY OF FLYING PHOBICS

The objective of this study was to examine sociodemographic and clinic al characteristics of 419 patients who were self-referred to a treatme nt agency because of fear of flying. With the use of homogeneity analy ses to explore the association between flight-anxiety and different ty pes of phobia, four specific subtypes of flying phobics were identifie d. The subtypes differed in terms of Eight-anxiety level, age, sex, co mplaints like ''fear of aircraft accidents, the need to have control o ver the situation, fear of losing control over themselves,'' and phobi as underlying their fear of flying, such as claustrophobia, acrophobia , social phobia, and symptoms of panic attacks. It is argued that the typology identified could have implications for the selection of treat ment components.