Boelen, P. A., Reijntjes, A.H.A., & Smid, G.E. (2016). Concurrent and prospective associations of intolerance of uncertainty with symptoms of prolonged Grief, posttraumatic stress, and depression after bereavement. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 41, 65-72. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.03.004.

Abstract

This study examined associations of Prospective IU and Inhibitory IU with symptom-levels of ProlongedGrief Disorder (PGD), Posttraumatic Stress-Disorder (PTSD), and depression in a sample of bereaved indi-viduals. Specifically, 265 bereaved individuals completed measures of IU, PGD, PTSD, and depression inthe first year after the death of a loved one; 134 participants again completed symptom-measures sixmonths later. Cross-sectional analyses showed that Inhibitory IU (but not Prospective IU) was positivelyassociated with symptom-levels of PTSD and depression (but not PGD), even when controlling for neu-roticism, worry, and rumination. Prospective analyses showed that Prospective IU (but not InhibitoryIU) at baseline, predicted PGD severity six months later (but not PTSD or depression at follow-up) whilecontrolling for baseline symptom-levels. The findings support the notion that IU is a vulnerability fac-tor for different emotional problems, including those developing after the death of a loved one. Clinicalimplications of these findings are discussed.