Intolerance of Uncertainty and Emotional Processing in Adolescence: Separating Between-Person Stability and Within-Person Change

Abstract

Previous research on the relation between Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) and Emotional Processing (EP) during adolescence is limited. The present study aimed to clarify how IU and EP evolve over time, to what extent they are related, and whether changes in one precede or follow changes in the other. A total of 457 Italian adolescents (53.1% girls) aged 11 to 18 years (M = 14.1 ± 2.27) completed the IU and EP scales on three separate occasions three months apart (T1, T2, and T3). Data were modeled using a Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) that separates individual differences between individuals from intraindividual changes. Descriptive analyses showed that IU was relatively stable between T1 and T2 and decreased slightly between T2 and T3. Consistent with the view that emotion regulation improves as adolescents develop, EP difficulties were found to decrease between T1 and T2 and between T2 and T3. The RI-CLPM revealed a strong between-person effect, showing that individual differences in IU and EP remained consistent throughout the study. In addition, significant within-person change was found, with adolescents who increased their IU at T1 and T2 also increasing their EP difficulties at T2 and T3, respectively. The opposite effect had a smaller effect size. In sum, our study showed that IU and EP are intertwined in adolescents and that changes in IU precede corresponding changes in EP. These results suggest a priority of change between IU and EP and confirm the relationship between IU and emotion regulation problems in adolescence.

The predictive role of intolerance of uncertainty and trait of worry in breast cancer patients: A prospective, observational, single-center clinical study

“…First, we demonstrated a longitudinal stability of the trait constructs measured by the PSWQ and the IUS-R scales, in line with studies that showed how IU and trait of worry seems to be stable over time and across situation (e.g., Dugas et al, 2004 ; Mahoney and McEvoy, 2012 ; Brintzinger et al, 2021 ; Lauriola et al, 2023 ). Coherently with literature (e.g., Carleton et al, 2012 ), we evidenced that the trait of worry and intolerance of uncertainty were related to high levels of worry contents, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, underlying the connection between IU and trait of worry with other psychopathological symptoms.…”

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“…This approach assumes that a tolerant person is able to effectively resolve conflicting and ambiguous situations, regulate information processing, adequately and critically evaluate situations of uncertainty, be receptive to uncertainty, take responsibility for their decisions and choices, and turn the acquired knowledge and information into experience problem-solving. Investigating the issue of tolerance to uncertainty and its connection with human maturity, M. Lauriola et al (2023) defines these aspects as mutually complementary processes, where a person's ability to perceive and understand himself and his emotions, to creatively approach the solution of everyday tasks, as well as to be responsible and open to new experiences contributes to the development of personality tolerance. Studying the issue of tolerance as a personal attribute of a person, the author also notes that the maturity of a person is characterized by his readiness to take responsibility for his actions, behaviour and decisions, which allow the individual to form self-identity and self-respect in his mind.…”