Intolerance of uncertainty, causal uncertainty, causal importance, self-concept clarity and their relations to generalized anxiety disorder.
Although numerous studies have provided support for the notion that intolerance of uncertainty plays a key role in pathological worry (the hallmark feature of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)), other uncertainty-related constructs may also have relevance for the understanding of individuals who engage in pathological worry. Three constructs from the social cognition literature, causal uncertainty, causal importance, and self-concept clarity, were examined in the present study to assess the degree to which these explain unique variance in GAD, over and above intolerance of uncertainty. N = 235 participants completed self-report measures of trait worry, GAD symptoms, and uncertainty-relevant constructs. A subgroup was subsequently classified as low in GAD symptoms (n = 69) or high in GAD symptoms (n = 54) based on validated cut scores on measures of trait worry and GAD symptoms. In logistic regressions, only elevated intolerance of uncertainty and lower self-concept clarity emerged as unique correlates of high (vs. low) GAD symptoms. The possible role of self-concept uncertainty in GAD and the utility of integrating social cognition theories and constructs into clinical research on intolerance of uncertainty are discussed.
a Department of Psychology , Ryerson University , Toronto , Canada.
Andrea
A
Kusec
a Department of Psychology , Ryerson University , Toronto , Canada.
Kathleen
K
Tallon
a Department of Psychology , Ryerson University , Toronto , Canada.
Naomi
N
Koerner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult
Intolerance of uncertainty; causal importance; causal uncertainty; generalized anxiety disorder; self-concept clarity