ABSTRACT
More research has been conducted examining the use of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRE) for the fear of flying than any other phobia, and results from a randomised clinical trial show that it is equally effective as in vivo exposure (Rothbaum et al., 2000) with treatment gains maintained at 12 month follow-up (Rothbaum et al., 2002). As the September 11 terrorist attacks have increased fear of flying among the North American public while at the same time restricted access for traditional in vivo exposure therapy, VRE is a viable alternative to help the many that are suffering. This chapter describes virtual reality, the theoretical rationale and empirical evidence for its use in the treatment of fear of flying, clinical guidelines, and examples of its use in a private practice setting.
