Investigation of flight anxiety and related characteristics among adults: A mixed method study

The aim of this study is to examine the relationships of flight anxiety with anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, locus of control and metacognition, and the experiences of people with flight anxiety in a Turkish community sample. Explanatory sequential design (QUAN→qual), one of the mixed methods, was used. The study consisted of two interconnected stages; quantitative and qualitative. 887 people (63% women) between the ages of 18-73 (M = 35, SD = 11.23) participated in the first stage of the study. Sociodemographic Information Form, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Locus of Control Scale, Metacognitions Questionnaire-30, Flight Anxiety Situations Questionnaire and Flight Anxiety Modality Questionnaire were used as data collection tools. It was determined that anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, external-locus of control and metacognition were positively related to flight anxiety and separately predicted flight anxiety. In the model analyses, it was identified that locus of control had a moderator role in the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and flight anxiety modality- somatic symptoms. Besides, it was found that metacognition had a mediator role in the relationships between anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty with flight anxiety situations and flight anxiety modality-cognitive symptoms. Nine people who participated in the first stage and identified as having high level of flight anxiety participated in the second stage of the study. Data obtained from semi- structured interviews with participants were analyzed with thematic analysis. As a result of the analysis, five main themes named "worried thoughts about possible problems regarding flight", "flight's association with death", "being alert and flying on edge", "feeling of deprivation lead by flight anxiety" and "applied ways to cope with flight anxiety" were obtained. Finally, it is thought that including anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, locus of control and metacognition in evaluations and interventions for people who experience flight anxiety will be important. The findings were discussed in line with the relevant literature.