Fear of flying from the experience of wingwave® coaches

Abstract

Background: Fear of flying is a common isolated phobia. In addition to cognitive behavioral therapy, established forms of therapy also include approaches from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. Also wingwave® coaching uses the EMDR intervention. Methods: With the aim of exploring backgrounds to fear of flying from the experience of wingwave® coaches, 23 guide-based interviews were carried out and evaluated using qualitative content analysis. Results: General categories identified were reasons, emotions as triggers and causes of fear of flying. The causes for the fear were located in the past and were often not spontaneously remembered by the affected persons because there was no direct relationship to the fear of flying. Discussion: The established therapies for fear of flying very seldom take these causes into consideration. In the future, it should be examined whether treating the background causes for fear of flying leads to longer lasting success.