title: Evaluating the unique contribution of intolerance of uncertainty relative to other cognitive vulnerability factors in anxiety psychopathology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a cognitive vulnerability factor associated with a wide range of anxiety psychopathology. Other cognitive vulnerabilities such as anxiety sensitivity (AS), distress tolerance (DT), and discomfort intolerance (DI) have also been investigated as constructs of interest across anxiety disorders. As researchers increasingly uncover viable transdiagnostic vulnerabilities to anxiety, it becomes important to determine the degree of overlap between these constructs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present studies examined the unique relationships between IU, other vulnerability factors (AS, DT, and DI) and social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and worry symptoms across two nonclinical samples (n=217, n=241).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings were highly consistent across samples. IU was significantly associated with anxiety symptoms in all analyses, even when accounting for other transdiagnostic risk variables. Anxiety sensitivity, was uniquely related to social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in all analyses, but was related to worry in only one study. Distress tolerance was only uniquely associated with worry. Discomfort intolerance was not uniquely related to the anxiety symptoms in any analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research should attempt to replicate the findings in a clinical population and utilize a longitudinal design.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The robust and incremental relationships between IU and anxiety symptoms suggests the potential benefit of targeting IU in the context of transdiagnostic anxiety treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W. Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306-4301, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Norr
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Oglesby
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Capron
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Raines
authors.forename: Kristina J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Korte
authors.forename: Norman B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011599:Psychopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Anxiety sensitivity; Discomfort intolerance; Distress tolerance; Intolerance of uncertainty