title: Assessing the latent structure of the intolerance of uncertainty construct: an initial taxometric analysis.
abstract: Researchers have increasingly suggested that people with anxiety disorders share a common fear that the uncertain future will be catastrophic. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) - the tendency to consider possible negative events as unacceptable and threatening, irrespective of probabilities - is representative of such fears. A key role has been indicated for IU in several anxiety and mood disorders; however, the present study appears to be the first latent structure examination of IU. Responses were obtained from a large sample (n=977; 65% women) unselected with regard to IU level, comprising anxiety disorder outpatients (i.e., putative taxon members), and community residents (i.e., putative complement class members). MAXEIG, MAMBAC, and L-Mode were performed with indicator sets drawn from the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12. Assessments also included objective Comparison Curve Fit Indices. Results yielded converging evidence that IU symptoms have a dimensional latent structure. Comprehensive findings, implications, and future research directions are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada. nick.carleton@uregina.ca
authors.forename: R Nicholas
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Carleton
authors.forename: Justin W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Weeks
authors.forename: Ashley N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Gordon J G
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Asmundson
authors.forename: Martin M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Antony
authors.forename: Randi E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: McCabe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035501:Uncertainty