Mediating the relationship between neuroticism and depressive, anxiety and eating disorder symptoms: The role of intolerance of uncertainty and cognitive flexibility

Abstract

• IU and CF both mediate the relationship between neuroticism and depression and anxiety symptoms. • IU, but not CF, mediates the relationship between neuroticism and eating disorder symptoms. • Current study extends previous research by examining IU and CF using parallel mediation. • IU should be targeted in the treatment of depressive, anxiety and eating disorder symptoms. • CF should be targeted in treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Research has found that IU (Intolerance of Uncertainty) and CF (Cognitive Flexibility) have separately been associated with depression, anxiety and eating disorders as a transdiagnostic vulnerability. This study evaluated the mediational effect of both IU and CF on the relationship between neuroticism and depressive, anxiety and eating disorder symptoms. We hypothesised that IU and CF when examined together would both significantly mediate the relationship between neuroticism and depression, generalised anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia, PTSD and eating disorder symptoms. Data was collected through advertising the study at a university campus, Amazon Mechanical Turk and a university psychology clinic. Participants included a total of 717 individuals for which data was available. Mediation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. IU and CF were found to significantly mediate the relationship between neuroticism and symptom measures of depression, generalised anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia and PTSD. IU, but not CF, significantly mediated the relationship between neuroticism and eating disorder symptoms. All analyses controlled for gender. The study's limitations include the cross-sectional design precluding causality and that participants provided self-report data. IU and CF are transdiagnostic mediators in the relationship between neuroticism and depression and anxiety. IU was also found to be a significant mediator for eating disorder symptoms but CF was not. Findings suggest the importance of focusing on the these factors during assessment and treatment across emotional and eating disorders.