Mental Health Assessment in Employment of Airline Pilots

This chapter addresses the importance of pre-employment screening in hiring pilots for airlines, examines the mental health problems encountered in pilot screening programs, and details the information needed for conducting appropriate evaluations. Personality maladjustment and mental health problems have been found to impact job performance and emotional stability in the workplace. Mental health problems among airline pilots occur even though most pilots are considered to be well adjusted. Many airline pilots tend not to seek treatment for mental health problems in order to avoid attention or possible suspension from active employment. An important approach to managing mental health problems among airline pilots involves the effort to detect the presence of personality characteristics or mental health symptoms that can have a bearing on a pilot’s responsible work functioning when he or she is employed as an airline pilot. Mental health problems or personality disorders can substantially influence job performance and create a risk to the public.