title: Intolerance of uncertainty, hypochondriacal concerns, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and worry.
abstract: Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been found to be involved in several anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Few studies have examined the role of IU in health anxiety (HA)/hypochondriacal concerns (HC). We conducted two studies exploring the associations between IU and HA/HC. The first study included undergraduates (n = 114) and indicated an association between IU and several HA/HC indices. When controlling for neuroticism, worry about illness was the single index of HA/HC that remained associated with IU. In the second study among bereaved adults (n = 126), IU was associated with one index of HA/HC but not when neuroticism and anxiety sensitivity were controlled. In both studies, IU was found to be more strongly associated with OCD symptoms and worry than with HA/HC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. P.A.Boelen@uu.nl
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Boelen
authors.forename: R Nicholas
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Carleton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009770:Obsessive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035501:Uncertainty