title: Cognitive coping and anxiety symptoms among people who seek help for fear of flying.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fear of flying among potential passengers is rather common. In order to treat fear of flying most efficiently, it is important to find out which aspects are related to flight anxiety. The objective of the present study was to examine the extent to which various cognitive coping strategies in response to a flight were used by airline passengers and their relationship with anxiety symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 261 persons who were all seeking treatment for fear of flying filled in the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the anxiety subscales of the Symptom Check List (SCL-90), the Flight Anxiety Situations questionnaire, and the Flight Anxiety Modality questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents reported using refocus on planning, rumination, putting into perspective to the highest extent and catastrophizing and other-blame to the lowest extent. Furthermore, respondents who reported using self-blame, acceptance, rumination, and/or catastrophizing to a higher extent also reported significantly higher levels of anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the present study suggests that several cognitive coping strategies are related to anxiety, intervention programs should pay attention to these aspects. The present study gives important clues about which cognitive coping strategies should be challenged in treatment of flight anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands. Kraaij@fsw.LeidenUniv.nl
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kraaij
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garnefski
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Gerwen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000401:Aircraft; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003071:Cognition; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept