To Be Sure, To Be Sure: Intolerance of Uncertainty Mediates Symptoms of Various Anxiety Disorders and Depression

Abstract The Intolerance of Uncertainty Model was initially developed as an explanation for worry within the context of generalized anxiety disorder. However, recent research has identified intolerance of uncertainty (IU) as a possible transdiagnostic maintaining factor across the anxiety disorders...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavior therapy 2012-09, Vol.43 (3), p.533-545
Main Authors: McEvoy, Peter M, Mahoney, Alison E.J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis
Anxiety Disorders - psychology
Anxiety-Depression
Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Depression
Depressive Disorder - diagnosis
Depressive Disorder - psychology
Female
Generalized anxiety disorders
Humans
intolerance of uncertainty
Male
mediation
Medical sciences
Mental depression
Models, Psychological
Mood disorders
Neuroses
Neuroticism
Personality disorders
Personality Inventory - statistics & numerical data
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales - statistics & numerical data
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Symptoms
transdiagnostic
Treatments
Uncertainty
Worry
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract The Intolerance of Uncertainty Model was initially developed as an explanation for worry within the context of generalized anxiety disorder. However, recent research has identified intolerance of uncertainty (IU) as a possible transdiagnostic maintaining factor across the anxiety disorders and depression. The aim of this study was to determine whether IU mediated the relationship between neuroticism and symptoms related to various anxiety disorders and depression in a treatment-seeking sample ( N = 328). Consistent with previous research, IU was significantly associated with neuroticism as well as with symptoms of social phobia, panic disorder and agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression. Moreover, IU explained unique variance in these symptom measures when controlling for neuroticism. Mediational analyses showed that IU was a significant partial mediator between neuroticism and all symptom measures, even when controlling for symptoms of other disorders. More specifically, anxiety in anticipation of future uncertainty (prospective anxiety) partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (i.e. worry) and obsessive-compulsive disorder, whereas inaction in the face of uncertainty (inhibitory anxiety) partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism and symptoms of social anxiety, panic disorder and agoraphobia, and depression. Sobel's test demonstrated that all hypothesized meditational pathways were associated with significant indirect effects, although the mediation effect was stronger for worry than other symptoms. Potential implications of these findings for the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression are discussed.
ISSN:0005-7894
1878-1888
DOI:10.1016/j.beth.2011.02.007