Intolerance Of Uncertainty Scores Research Articles

Fundamental behavioral and neurophysiologic relationships between sensory processing, intolerance of uncertainty, and autistic traits in children: A hybrid approach

Sensory differences are common and often challenging for autistic children. Furthermore, atypical sensory processing is associated with autistic traits and other autism-related behaviors, such as intolerance of uncertainty (IU). Such traits and their relatedness vary continuously across autistic and non-autistic children alike. However, the underlying neural correlates of these continuous variables, and their associations, are not well understood. Therefore, this study examined relationships between sensory processing, IU, autistic traits, and associated resting state brain connectivity, across a sample of both autistic (n = 30) and non-autistic (n = 26) children. In addition to computing behavioral correlations between these factors, we carried out independent component network functional connectivity analysis to investigate associations between cortical and cerebellar networks and behavioral results between groups and across our entire sample. Across-group correlations between sensory processing, autistic traits, and IU were significant. In addition, data demonstrated overlapping sensory processing and intolerance of uncertainty scores, spanning the groups. Brain (rs-fMRI)—behavioral relationships revealed strong associations between sensory, large-scale resting state, and cerebellar networks and behavioral scores. Overall, our findings suggest that sensory differences are related to IU and autistic traits across the population. Neurophysiologic data pointed to functional connectivity between sensory cortices and supramodal brain networks. These findings provide evidence for the continuous variation of behaviors common to autism throughout the entire population and their neurobiological correlates.

Do Resident Coaching Programs Benefit their Coaches? Impact of a Professional Development Coaching Program on The Coaches.

Coaching has been shown to decrease physician burnout; however, coachee outcomes have been the focus. We report the impact of coaching on women-identifying surgeons who participated as coaches in a 9-month virtual program. A coaching program was implemented in the Association of Women Surgeons (AWS) to determine the effects of coaching on well-being and burnout from 2018 to 2020. AWS members volunteered and completed training in professional development coaching. Pre- and post-study measures were assessed, and bivariate analysis performed based on burnout and professional fulfillment score. Seventy-five coaches participated; 57 completed both pre- and post-study surveys. There were no significant changes in burnout or professional fulfillment including the Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning, and Accomplishment scale, hardiness, self-valuation, coping, gratitude, or intolerance of uncertainty scores from baseline to post-survey. On bivariate analysis, hardiness was associated with lower burnout throughout the duration of the program. Coaches with lower burnout at the end of the program met with their coachee more frequently than coaches with higher burnout [mean (SD) 3.95(2.16) versus 2.35(2.13) p = 0.0099]. Burnout and professional fulfillment demonstrated no change in women surgeons who participated as professional development coaches. Those with lower burnout and higher professional fulfillment at the end of the program were found to have higher hardiness, which may be worth future investigation. Acquisition of coaching skills did not directly improve well-being in faculty who participated in a resident coaching program. Future studies would benefit from control groups and exploration of qualitative benefits of coaching.

Intolerance of uncertainty and neural measures of anticipation and reactivity for affective stimuli.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a transdiagnostic construct referring to the aversive interpretation of contexts characterized by uncertainty. Indeed, there is a growing body of research examining individual differences in IU and how these are associated with emotional anticipation and reactivity during periods of certainty and uncertainty, however, how these associations are reflected via neurophysiological indices remain understudied and poorly understood. The present study examined the relationship between self-reported IU and neurophysiological measures of emotional anticipation and reactivity, namely stimulus preceding negativity (SPN) and late positive potential (LPP), and self-report measures of emotional experiences. These measures were captured during an S1-S2 picture viewing tasks in which participants were presented with cues (S1) that either indicated the affective valence of upcoming picture (S2) or provided no information about the valence. Findings here provide evidence for significant associations between SPN amplitude and IU scores during uncertain and certain-positive cueing conditions, and significant associations between LPP amplitude and IU scores during both certain- and uncertain-negative picture viewing conditions that appear driven by prospective IU sub-scores. These positive associations between IU and SPN amplitude are suggestive of heightened emotional anticipation following S1 cues, while positive associations between IU and LPP are suggestive of heightened emotional reactivity following S2 images. These findings are discussed in detail relative to existing IU literature, and potential implications of these findings.

The role of emotion dysregulation and intolerance of uncertainty in autism: Transdiagnostic factors influencing co-occurring conditions

BackgroundIndividuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are more likely to have co-occurring psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety. Transdiagnostic constructs such as intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and emotion dysregulation (ED) have both been shown to be individually associated with depression and anxiety in those with ASD. AimsThe current study examined the relationship between IU and ED, depression, and anxiety in an ED treatment-seeking sample and examined whether ED acts as a mediator between IU-depression and IU-anxiety. Methods and ProceduresWe examined baseline scores for 78 adolescents and young adults (12–21 years old) who were participating in an ED treatment. We assessed for correlations between IU, Reactivity and Dysphoria, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and then conducted mediation analyses to determine whether Reactivity and Dysphoria functioned as a mediator in IU- anxiety and IU- depression relationships. Outcomes and ResultsConcordant with prior research, ED, IU, anxiety, and depression scores were correlated. Both Reactivity and Dysphoria were found to mediate both IU-depression and IU-anxiety. Conclusions and ImplicationsFindings suggest that ED contributes to how IU affects psychopathology. Furthermore, both IU and ED may be pertinent treatment targets for individuals with depression or anxiety and ASD.

Childhood behavioral inhibition and attachment: Links to generalized anxiety disorder in young adulthood.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is under-treated yet prevalent among young adults. Identifying early risk factors for GAD would contribute to its etiological model and identify potential targets for intervention. Insecure attachment patterns, specifically ambivalent and disorganized, have long been proposed as childhood risk factors for GAD. Similarly, childhood behavioral inhibition has been consistently associated with anxiety disorders in adulthood, including GAD. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), the tendency to react negatively to uncertain situations, has also been shown to be a crucial component of GAD. Furthermore, maternal anxiety is an important feature of developmental models of anxiety including GAD. Yet, to date, no study has examined, within a comprehensive model, how attachment and behavioral inhibition in childhood, maternal anxiety in adolescence, and IU in emerging adulthood contribute to GAD in adulthood. The present study thus examines these links using a longitudinal design with 62 Canadian participants and their mothers. At age 6, participants' attachment and behavioral inhibition were assessed observationally. Maternal anxiety was measured when participants were 14 years of age. IU and GAD were assessed when participants were 21 and 23 years of age, respectively. Structural equation modeling showed that IU mediates the relationships between behavioral inhibition and GAD, while controlling for maternal anxiety. Ambivalent and disorganized-controlling attachment patterns are also indirectly associated with increased GAD symptoms via greater IU scores. Furthermore, a direct and positive effect of behaviorally disorganized attachment was found on GAD symptoms. This longitudinal study supports integrating attachment, behavioral inhibition, and IU in a model of GAD.

Irrational Performance Beliefs and Mental Well-Being Upon Returning to Sport During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Test of Mediation by Intolerance of Uncertainty

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study examined the extent to which irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty co-occur in relation to mental well-being among a sample of athletes and coaches (N = 94, M age = 31.99, SD = 12.81) upon their return to sport following COVID-19 disruptions. Methods and Results: Despite the parity in views, independent samples t-test results identified three significant differences in the tested variables between athletes and coaches, which suggested that athletes are more likely to entertain depreciative thoughts about performances and react more aversively to uncertainty, whereas coaches reported a better mental well-being state. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis confirmed a significant positive relationship between composite irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty scores, with both these variables being inversely related to mental well-being. Results from a simple atemporal mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro verified that intolerance of uncertainty fully mediated the adverse effect irrational beliefs exert on mental well-being. Conclusion: Sports psychology practitioners within the framework of REBT are advised to explore their orientation of modifying irrational beliefs aligned to clients’ perceptions and tolerance of uncertainty in sport through the inclusion of IU-specific awareness and behavioral experiments.

Interrelation between intolerance of uncertainty and the time perspective profile in the military.

Time perspective (TP) theory suggests that people tend to categorize their experience in terms of the past, the present, and the future. Studies have shown that a balanced TP profile supports well-being while misbalance in the TP profile is associated with various psychopathology. On the other hand, an intolerance of uncertainty (IU) underpins a variety of affective disorders. There are still a lot of questions about the relationship between IU and the TP. The purpose of this study was to clarify the interrelation between the time perspective distortion and intolerance of uncertainty level and to examine the degree to which IU and TP scales are associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in a military sample. The sample of servicemen (N = 129) completed ZTPI, the IUS-12 and PCL-5 questionnaires. Correlational and regression analyses were conducted with IU scores, TP scales and DBTP and DBTP-r coefficients. IU total score correlates with Past Negative (PN), Present Hedonistic (PH), Present Fatalistic (PF), and Future (F) time perspectives in the military sample. Groups that differ in the level of IU have a significant difference in Past Negative TP. Regression analysis models using DBTP as well as DBTP-r coefficients showed similar results. Inhibitory IU, not Prospective IU, turned out to be a predictor of post-traumatic stress symptoms in this military, non-clinical sample. Further studies should determine directions of associations between intolerance of uncertainty and time perspective.

Neuroticism and Test Anxiety among Chinese Students: The Mediating Role of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Meta-worry

Background: Academic examinations are highly valued and emphasized in China. As a result, test anxiety is a widespread phenomenon. Aims: This study investigated the correlation between neuroticism and test anxiety, and the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and meta-worry. Methods: A total of 1109 Chinese college students, including 623 females and 486 males with an average age of 21.56(2.24) were recruited for the study. Neuroticism, IU, meta-worry, and test anxiety were determined using self-report questionnaires. Results: The results showed that 45.0% of the participants had moderate test anxiety, while 19.9% suffered from severe test anxiety. The neuroticism, IU, and meta-worry frequency scale scores were correlated significantly to the test anxiety. PROCESS v 3.3 macro in SPSS was used to test the mediation role. Conclusions: The relationship between neuroticism and test anxiety was partially mediated to IU and meta-worry. The study findings suggest that neuroticism can affect test anxiety through decreased intolerance of uncertainty and heightened meta-worry frequency among Chinese students.

Content and Structure of Scientific Values

The purpose of the present research was to identify values relevant to the context of science and test their location in the motivational value circle proposed by Schwartz (1992). Based on the available scientific values literature, creativity, curiosity, skepticism, open-mindedness, rationality, objectivity, communality, integrity, and consistency values were identified as scientific values. Items were generated by the authors to measure their importance. Two studies were conducted to test five hypotheses. In Study 1, with a student sample (N = 624, Mage = 22), results revealed that scientific values were empirically located between Self-Direction and Universalism values, and there was a sinusoidal pattern of correlations between the scientific values and the other value types. In Study 2 (N = 181, Mage = 21.5), scientific values were observed to be positively correlated with the attitudes towards science as measured by semantic differential scales and the need for cognition scores, and negatively correlated with intolerance of uncertainty scores. The present research was the first attempt to integrate scientific values into the circular structure of values. Results were discussed as confirming the hypothesized structure of scientific values, and as providing initial support for the convergent and divergent validity of the scientific values measure. Using convenience samples with a potential self-selection bias, collecting data from Turkish university students, over-representation of women in Study 2, and low reliability coefficients for value type measures other than the scientific values were noted as methodological limitations. Attempts to replicate the results of the present research in cross-cultural studies and to investigate the relationships between the scientific values and personality measures other than the ones used in the present study to extend convergent validity are suggested as future research directions.

Dealing with uncertainty: A high-density EEG investigation on how intolerance of uncertainty affects emotional predictions.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) can influence emotional predictions, constructed by the brain (generation stage) to prearrange action (implementation stage), and update internal models according to incoming stimuli (updating stage). However, neurocomputational mechanisms by which IU affects emotional predictions are unclear. This high-density EEG study investigated if IU predicted event-related potentials (ERPs) and brain sources activity developing along the stages of emotional predictions, as a function of contextual uncertainty. Thirty-six undergraduates underwent a S1-S2 paradigm, with emotional faces and pictures as S1s and S2s, respectively. Contextual uncertainty was manipulated across three blocks, each with 100%, 75%, or 50% S1-S2 emotional congruency. ERPs, brain sources and their relationship with IU scores were analyzed for each stage. IU did not affect prediction generation. During prediction implementation, higher IU predicted larger Contingent Negative Variation in the 75% block, and lower left anterior cingulate cortex and supplementary motor area activations. During prediction updating, as IU increased P2 to positive S2s decreased, along with P2 and Late Positive Potential in the 75% block, and right orbito-frontal cortex activity to emotional S2s. IU was therefore associated with altered uncertainty assessment and heightened attention deployment during implementation, and to uncertainty avoidance, reduced attention to safety cues and disrupted access to emotion regulation strategies during prediction updating.

Intolerance of Uncertainty and DSM-5 PTSD Symptom Severity among Trauma Exposed Latina College Women

ABSTRACT Approximately 56 to 84% of college students report having experienced at least one lifetime traumatic or adverse life event. However, little is known about trauma exposure among Latina college students and the association of cognitive vulnerabilities to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms among this population. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to: (a) explore the traumatic events experienced by 436 Latina college women, and (b) examine the unique contribution of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and its two subscales (prospective and inhibitory IU) to PTSD-5 symptom severity among the 263 (76%) trauma-exposed Latina college women in the sample. Most frequently reported trauma events included interpersonal bullying and ridicule, attempted sexual assault, traumatic bereavement, and life-threatening accident or natural disaster. As expected, when controlling for college stress and anxiety sensitivity: (a) IU scores were associated with overall PTSD symptom severity and with two of the four PTSD-5 cluster symptoms, arousal/reactivity, and negative alteration in cognition/mood, and (b) IU was not associated with the PTSD-5 intrusion cluster symptoms’ severity. Inconsistent with expectations, IU was not uniquely associated with the avoidance of PTSD-5 cluster symptoms. Paralysis in the face of uncertainty (inhibitory IU) was more strongly related to PTSD symptom severity than concerns regarding anticipated uncertainty (prospective IU). Results suggest that IU is a transdiagnostic cognitive vulnerability that plays a unique role in relation to PTSD symptom severity among trauma exposed Latina college women. Therefore, interventions to ameliorate IU could complement established psychological and pharmacological PTSD treatments with this population.

Intolerance of Uncertainty and Eating Disorder Symptoms Over the Course of Intensive Treatment

There is a critical need to identify processes that may influence outcome in existing treatments for eating disorders (EDs). Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), which refers to excessive distress regarding uncertain situations, is a well-established feature of anxiety disorders. Emerging work suggests that IU decreases over the course of cognitive-behavioral treatments and may relate to better treatment outcomes. As some literature has suggested IU may functionally maintain ED symptoms, testing whether changes in IU over treatment relate to outcome may result in the identification of novel treatment targets. This study aimed to build upon past work documenting links between IU and ED symptoms by exploring changes in IU over treatment and links between early change in IU (1-month) and discharge symptoms. Participants (N = 274) receiving partial hospitalization treatment completed the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale at admission, 1-month post-admission, and discharge. Results suggested that IU significantly reduced from admission to discharge and that reductions in IU scores from admission to 1-month related to cognitive restraint, dietary restriction, and body image at discharge. However, this pattern did not hold for exercise, binge eating, or purging. Altogether, these results replicate past work supporting IU as a common feature across ED diagnoses and provide initial data suggesting that targeting IU early in treatment may enhance treatment outcomes.

The Impact of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Anxiety Sensitivity on Mental Health Among Public Safety Personnel: When the Uncertain is Unavoidable

BackgroundPublic safety personnel (PSP; e.g., correctional workers and officers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, public safety communications officials) are regularly exposed to potentially traumatic events and considerable uncertainty as part of their employment. Canadian PSP screen positively for mental disorders at much higher rates than the general population. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety sensitivity (AS) are empirically-supported vulnerability factors associated with the development and maintenance of mental disorders.MethodsThe present study was designed to assess IU and AS across PSP—a population regularly encountering uncertainty—with and without mental disorders (n = 4304; 33.3% women), and across normative clinical, community, and undergraduate samples. Further, the study examined the relationship between IU and AS and mental disorders among PSP.ResultsThere were significant differences across groups on IU and AS scores (ps < .001). All PSP, with and without a positive screen for a mental disorder, reported lower IU and AS than clinical samples; however, PSP without mental disorders reported lower IU and AS than all other groups (ps < .001).ConclusionIncreased resilience or the development of coping skills to manage regular exposures to uncertain threat may help explain why PSP reported low levels of IU and AS despite higher prevalence of mental disorders. Implications for PSP training and treatment are discussed.

Unpredictable pain timings lead to greater pain when people are highly intolerant of uncertainty

Background and purposeMany psychological factors are known to influence pain perception. Among them, intolerance of uncertainty (IU) may play a key modulating role in situations where uncertainty prevails, especially uncertainty regarding the timing of painful events. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of individual differences in IU on pain perception during predictable and unpredictable stimulation timings. We hypothesized that people with high IU, as opposed to those with low IU, would perceive more pain when the timing of painful stimulations cannot be predicted, as compared to when they can. MethodsTwenty (20) healthy adults, aged between 18 and 35 years old, were recruited. Painful sensations were provoked using transcutaneous electrical stimulations of the right sural nerve. By measuring IU (Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale) and subjective pain (verbal numerical rating scale), it was possible to test the relationship between IU and pain perception, by simulating predictable and unpredictable painful experiences. This was done through cued shock interval (CSI) blocks, with either variable timing or fixed timings (long or short time frame). Self-administered questionnaires were also used to measure pain hypervigilance, pain catastrophizing, state anxiety, and trait anxiety. ResultsPearson correlations confirmed the presence of an association (r=0.63) between IU and the change in pain intensity provoked by unpredictable stimulation timings. Importantly, this association was significant only for stimulations provided at long CSIs, indicating that higher IU scores predicted higher pain intensity scores when stimulation timings became unpredictable, and when the cued delay was long. No association was found between pain scores and other psychological variables. ConclusionsOur results show that IU moderately correlates to the change in pain intensity provoked by unpredictable stimulation timings. High IU scores were associated with a worsening of the subjective pain experience, especially during long delays in an unpredictable situation. These observations suggest that IU could be considered as a psychological variable that is able to influence pain perception in certain situations. ImplicationsAssessing and addressing IU could be an added value in pain-related therapy, especially in chronic pain.

Intolerance of uncertainty in opioid dependency - Relationship with trait anxiety and impulsivity.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is the tendency to interpret ambiguous situations as threatening and having negative consequences, resulting in feelings of distress and anxiety. IU has been linked to a number of anxiety disorders, and anxiety felt in the face of uncertainty may result in maladaptive behaviors such as impulsive decision making. Although there is strong evidence that anxiety and impulsivity are risk factors for addiction, there is a paucity of research examining the role of IU in this disorder. The rate of opioid addiction, in particular, has been rising steadily in recent years, which necessitates deeper understanding of risk factors in order to develop effective prevention and treatment methods. The current study tested for the first time whether opioid-dependent adults are less tolerant of uncertainty compared to a healthy comparison group. Opioid dependent patients undergoing methadone maintenance therapy (n = 114) and healthy comparisons (n = 69) completed the following scales: Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, the Barrett Impulsivity Scale, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Analysis revealed that these measures were positively correlated with each other and that opioid-dependent patients had significantly higher IU scores. Regression analysis revealed that anxiety mediated the relationship between IU and impulsivity. Hierarchical moderation regression found an interaction between addiction status and impulsivity on IU scores in that the relationship between these variables was only observed in the patient group. Findings suggest that IU is a feature of addiction but does not necessarily play a unique role. Further research is needed to explore the complex relationship between traits and how they may contribute to the development and maintenance of addiction.

A transdiagnostic examination of decreased intolerance of uncertainty and treatment outcome

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is characterized by negative beliefs and reactions to uncertainty. IU is present in emotional disorders and may be a mechanism of change in treatment . There are two components of IU, prospective and inhibitory IU, that may be differentially associated with outcome. The current study tested associations between pre- and post-treatment changes in the components of IU, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and treatment outcome in a large diagnostically heterogeneous partial hospital sample. Results suggested that social anxiety disorder was associated with greater pre-treatment prospective and inhibitory IU scores than those without the diagnosis. Results also showed that inhibitory IU predicted change in anxiety and depression symptoms and prospective IU and depression reductions predicted improvements in overall psychological health and psychological inflexibility. Only change in depression predicted improvement in interpersonal relationships throughout treatment. Clinical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.

Intolerance of uncertainty, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety: Differences by diagnosis and symptoms

Research suggests that Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is related to the severity of suffering in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). However, its role in Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) has not been extensively studied. This study examines IU in a clinical sample of 248 individuals referred to a tertiary care clinic. Few individuals had a diagnosis of pure SAD or pure GAD, but we examined differences of IU scores by diagnostic category. We further examined the relationships between IU scores, social anxiety scores, and worry through a structural equation model. We found that diagnostic category (SAD versus GAD) accounted for little variability in IU scores, but IU scores were strongly related to symptoms of both GAD and SAD. Results highlight that IU is related to both social anxiety and worry; however aspects of IU associated with being unable to act or avoiding uncertainty are more strongly associated with SAD symptoms, whereas aspects of IU more associated with general stress and perceiving uncertainty as unfair are more strongly associated with GAD symptoms. Our results suggest that IU is an important concept for both social anxiety and generalized anxiety, however the relationship between IU and symptoms of these disorders manifests differently.

Intolerance of Uncertainty and Coping Mechanisms in Nonclinical Young Subjects.

We aimed to explore the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and coping mechanisms in a nonclinical sample with the same age and educational level. The Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced (COPE) scale was used to evaluate the coping mechanisms. The IU scale was used to evaluate IU situations. We found that the negative impact of uncertainty on the action in female students was greater than males. While female students used more planning, instrumental support, reinterpretation, religion, emotional support, venting, and mental disengagement coping styles, male students used more humor, denial, and alcohol/drug abuse coping styles. Subjects with psychological problems had higher IU scores and used some more coping mechanisms (restraint, acceptance, behavioral disengagement, and alcohol/drug abuse) than the others. Our results suggest that healthy subjects use different coping styles and respond differently to uncertainty in both genders.

Intolerance of uncertainty predicts fear extinction in amygdala-ventromedial prefrontal cortical circuitry.

BackgroundCoordination of activity between the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is important for fear-extinction learning. Aberrant recruitment of this circuitry is associated with anxiety disorders. Here, we sought to determine if individual differences in future threat uncertainty sensitivity, a potential risk factor for anxiety disorders, underly compromised recruitment of fear extinction circuitry.Twenty-two healthy subjects completed a cued fear conditioning task with acquisition and extinction phases. During the task, pupil dilation, skin conductance response, and functional magnetic resonance imaging were acquired. We assessed the temporality of fear extinction learning by splitting the extinction phase into early and late extinction. Threat uncertainty sensitivity was measured using self-reported intolerance of uncertainty (IU).ResultsDuring early extinction learning, we found low IU scores to be associated with larger skin conductance responses and right amygdala activity to learned threat vs. safety cues, whereas high IU scores were associated with no skin conductance discrimination and greater activity within the right amygdala to previously learned safety cues. In late extinction learning, low IU scores were associated with successful inhibition of previously learned threat, reflected in comparable skin conductance response and right amgydala activity to learned threat vs. safety cues, whilst high IU scores were associated with continued fear expression to learned threat, indexed by larger skin conductance and amygdala activity to threat vs. safety cues. In addition, high IU scores were associated with greater vmPFC activity to threat vs. safety cues in late extinction. Similar patterns of IU and extinction learning were found for pupil dilation. The results were specific for IU and did not generalize to self-reported trait anxiety.ConclusionsOverall, the neural and psychophysiological patterns observed here suggest high IU individuals to disproportionately generalize threat during times of uncertainty, which subsequently compromises fear extinction learning. More broadly, these findings highlight the potential of intolerance of uncertainty-based mechanisms to help understand pathological fear in anxiety disorders and inform potential treatment targets.

Comparing the Roles of Ambiguity and Unpredictability in Intolerance of Uncertainty

One means by which Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) purports to contribute to anxiety is by increasing Threat Perception (TP). This process was examined by comparing two different definitions of uncertainty: ambiguity versus unpredictability. N = 104 participants were measured for IU and then made worry and TP estimates for four different scenario types: Ambiguous Scenarios (where an outcome could be interpreted as threatening), Unpredictable Positive Scenarios (where a surprising and positive outcome was anticipated), as well as Positive and Negative Scenarios (with certain outcome). Both Ambiguous and Unpredictable Positive Scenarios more strongly predicted the relationship between IU and worry scores than (certain) Positive or Negative Scenarios. The relationship between IU and ‘ambiguous worry’ was largely explained by TP estimates, whereas the relationship between IU and ‘Unpredictable Positive Worry’ was largely independent of TP. Results suggest ambiguity and unpredictability are differentially explained by TP such that they produce different types of response. The authors argue ambiguity and unpredictability are explanatory components within IU.