Uncertainty about aging: an investigation of the relation of intolerance of uncertainty and dementia experience to dementia worry

Abstract

Objectives Although anxiety and depression decrease across the lifespan, age-related anxieties increase in older adults, particularly worries about experiencing cognitive decline or dementia. Dementia Worry (DW) is characterized by ruminative concerns about developing or experiencing symptoms of dementia. DW is related to negative mental health outcomes in older adults and increases as a function of exposure to dementia in others. What is less clear is the way in which other risk factors, such as intolerance of uncertainty (IU), are associated with DW, and whether an individual’s personal dementia exposure moderates this association. Method The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether DW is related to anxiety and depression in older adults (N = 135), to investigate the relation between IU and DW, and to examine whether dementia exposure moderates this relation. Results As expected, IU was related to anxiety and depression in older adults, similar to findings in younger adults. Further, as hypothesized, IU and DW were related in the sample; contrary to expectations, this association was found only in the group with non-genetic exposure to dementia. Conclusion These findings may be useful for developing prevention efforts or interventions aimed at IU or DW in older adults, particularly those with personal dementia exposure.