Abstract

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been proposed to be an important maintaining factor in several anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and social phobia. While IU has been shown to predict subjective ratings and decision-making during uncertain/ambiguous situations, few studies have examined whether IU also predicts emotional responding to uncertain threat. The present study examined whether IU predicted aversive responding (startle and subjective ratings) during the anticipation of temporally uncertain shocks. Sixty-nine participants completed three experimental conditions during which they received: no shocks, temporally certain/predictable shocks, and temporally uncertain shocks. Results indicated that IU was negatively associated with startle during the uncertain threat condition in that those with higher IU had a smaller startle response. IU was also only related to startle during the uncertain (and not the certain/predictable) threat condition, suggesting that it was not predictive of general aversive responding, but specific to responses to uncertain aversiveness. Perceived control over anxiety-related events mediated the relation between IU and startle to uncertain threat, such that high IU led to lowered perceived control, which in turn led to a smaller startle response. We discuss several potential explanations for these findings, including the inhibitory qualities of IU. Overall, our results suggest that IU is associated with attenuated aversive responding to uncertain threat.

Highlights

  • Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been defined as the tendency to respond with negative emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions to uncertain situations and events (Dugas et al, 2004)

  • Our findings do not support this explanation as even though we found a high correlation between IU and Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), individual differences on the PSWQ were not associated with startle during the uncertain threat condition

  • We found that individual differences in IU were associated with smaller startle response while anticipating temporally uncertain shocks and this association was largely driven by the inhibitory aspects of IU

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Summary

Introduction

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been defined as the tendency to respond with negative emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions to uncertain situations and events (Dugas et al, 2004). In a subsequent study, Greco and Rodger (2003) found that compared to low IU individuals, high IU individuals exhibited increased blood pressure while anticipating unpleasant pictures; though, this finding was for both predictable and uncertain unpleasant pictures (suggesting a general sensitivity to aversiveness, and not just uncertain aversiveness). These findings indicate that the relation between IU and emotional state during uncertain situations remains unclear

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