Intolerance of Uncertainty: A Vulnerability Factor for Internalizing Psychopathologies

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a putative vulnerability factor for internalizing psychopathologies. However, it is unclear if IU and its subscales (prospective and inhibitory IU) meet criteria for a vulnerability factor. It is also unknown if IU is a vulnerability factor specifically for internalizing (vs. externalizing) psychopathology and whether it is a vulnerability factor independent of neuroticism/negative affectivity (N/NA). Four hundred and ninety-four adult sibling pairs (n = 233) with a wide range of psychopathologies, as well as healthy controls, completed a diagnostic interview and self-report measures of IU and N/NA. Results indicated that, independent of N/NA, IU is not a vulnerability factor for all internalizing psychopathologies, but may be a vulnerability factor for Major Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and was trending for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Furthermore, IU may not specific to internalizing psychopathologies as findings indicated that it may be a vulnerability factor for substance use disorders. In terms of subscales, Inhibitory IU, and not total or prospective IU, exhibited the strongest evidence for being a vulnerability factor.