ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the mental health and related conditions listed in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). It also focuses on clinical assessment tasks and responsibilities of Aeromedical psychologists. Aviation psychology is a specialty field within the discipline of psychology. The assessment of the mental health of pilots is deemed critical because of safety-related concerns. When conducting an aviation mental health examination of a commercial pilot or military aviator, the primary consideration is ultimately flight safety. A mental health assessment should provide information on the rate of progression of any identified disorder when such information can be determined with reasonable certainty. Although the mental health evaluation includes several different components, including mental health testing, the clinical interview with the referred airman remains an essential part of any mental health evaluation. Psychological testing, as differentiated from the assessment process, involves administration of standardized measures which provide information about the psychological and/or cognitive status of the referred pilot.
