Anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty: requisites of the fundamental fears?

Childhood Maltreatment and Spiritual Well-Being: Intolerance of Uncertainty and Emotion Regulation as Mediators in Turkish Sample

Spiritual well-being is a phenomenon that enhances the quality of life and acts as a protective factor against stress and negative emotions. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether childhood psychological maltreatment is related to spiritual well-being and whether intolerance of uncertainty and emotion regulation serially mediate this relationship. The study sample comprised 330 participants aged between 18 and 55 years from 46 out of the 81 cities in Türkiye. The study participants completed the Psychological Maltreatment Questionnaire, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Emotion Regulation Scale, and Spiritual Well-Being Scale, a scale derived from the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being that measures spiritual well-being by using the conceptualization of meaning and peace. The data obtained were analyzed using a two-step structural equation modeling approach, which indicated that childhood psychological maltreatment has an association with spiritual well-being, and this relationship is mediated by both intolerance of uncertainty and emotion regulation. The findings are discussed in the context of the literature on spiritual well-being.

Health Promotion of Early and Sustained Allergenic Food Introduction for the Prevention of Food Allergy

Observational studies and landmark randomized control trials support early and sustained allergenic food introduction in infancy as an effective preventive strategy against food allergy development. Despite a consensus regarding the intended goals of early and sustained allergenic food introduction, there have been myriad policy recommendations among health authorities in how to achieve both individual and population-level health outcomes for food allergy prevention. This clinical management review provides an overview on the data that informs early and sustained allergenic food introduction strategies, suggestions on how to advise allergenic food introduction, principles of prevention programs as they relate to food allergy prevention, and health promotion and systems-level challenges that impede achievement of food allergy prevention goals.

Partner symptom accommodation in generalized anxiety disorder: a preliminary examination of correlates with symptoms and cognitive behavioural therapy outcome

BACKGROUND

Symptom accommodation is suggested to maintain anxiety pathology and interfere with treatment effectiveness for anxiety and related disorders. However, little is known about symptom accommodation in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

AIM

This study investigated the associations between romantic partner symptom accommodation, GAD symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), relationship satisfaction, and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) outcomes from the perspective of the person with GAD.

METHOD

One hundred and twelve people with GAD participated in group CBT and completed measures at pre- and post-treatment.

RESULTS

All participants endorsed that their partner engaged in symptom accommodation to some extent, and the most commonly endorsed type was providing reassurance. Greater self-reported partner symptom accommodation was associated with greater GAD symptoms, chronic worry severity, IU, and relationship satisfaction at baseline. Partner symptom accommodation was found to significantly decrease over treatment; however, less improvement in symptom accommodation from pre- to post-treatment was associated with worse treatment outcomes.

DISCUSSION

This study is the first to show that partner symptom accommodation is prevalent in adults with GAD and to elucidate the presentation and frequency of behaviours. The findings provide preliminary evidence that targeting partner symptom accommodation in treatment may improve CBT outcomes.

Contingency Reversal in Conditioned Fear Learning: The Moderated Mediation Model of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Instruction

Objective

The study aimed to examine the roles of anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) in conditioned fear learning under an uncertain context induced by the contingency reversal of the association between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus (CS-US).

Methods

The study sample comprised 53 participants, randomly divided into two groups: a non-instruction group and an instruction group. The experimental procedure encompassed five stages: pre-acquisition, acquisition, generalization, reversal acquisition, and reversal generalization. Our study primarily focused on analyzing a moderated mediation model.

Results

In the instructed group, we observed that the reversed fear generalization response was directly influenced by the pre-reversal fear generalization response, while also being indirectly mediated by the IU factor. However, in the non-instructed group, we did not find a significant mediating effect of IU. Moreover, we noted that the mediation of IU was contingent on the instructional information. It is noteworthy that anxiety did not exhibit a discernible role in conditioned fear within the uncertainty condition in our study.

Conclusion

The findings provide novel insights into fear-related phenomena, emphasizing the intricate interplay between individual traits and fear generalization under conditions of uncertainty. They contribute to understanding the mechanisms of emotional and cognitive interactions in uncertain conditions.

Examining anxious temperament in anorexia nervosa: Behavioural inhibition and intolerance of uncertainty and their contribution to trait anxiety in adolescents with anorexia nervosa

BACKGROUND

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and complex psychiatric disorder yet treatment results are suboptimal. Insight into the etiology of this illness is much needed. Research highlights the implication of anxiety-related traits in the development and maintenance of AN. This study investigates firstly, behavioural inhibition and intolerance for uncertainty (IU) in adolescents with and without AN, and secondly relations between these traits.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, 165 adolescent girls (AN = 94, HC = 71) completed questionnaires measuring behavioural inhibition, IU and trait anxiety. ANOVAs tested differences between AN and HC groups, and mediation models with IU as a mediator between behavioural inhibition and trait anxiety were run.

RESULTS

AN adolescents reported significantly higher levels of behavioural inhibition, IU and trait anxiety compared to their peers. In both AN and HC, a direct and a total effect of behavioural inhibition on trait anxiety was found. However, only in the AN group IU partially mediated the relation between behavioural inhibition and trait anxiety.

LIMITATIONS

Data is cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are required. A mean illness duration of nearly 2 years may mean early effects of malnourishment and habituation and future studies should include patients with shorter illness duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Results highlight that behavioural inhibition and IU may contribute to anxiety in AN whilst their peers may have developed better executive and social-emotional skills to manage uncertainty. Adolescents with AN may benefit from interventions targeting behavioural inhibition and IU.

Understanding anxiety through uncertainty quantification

Uncertainty has been a central concept in psychological theories of anxiety. However, this concept has been plagued by divergent connotations and operationalizations. The lack of consensus hinders the current search for cognitive and biological mechanisms of anxiety, jeopardizes theory creation and comparison, and restrains translation of basic research into improved diagnoses and interventions. Drawing upon uncertainty decomposition in Bayesian Decision Theory, we propose a well-defined conceptual structure of uncertainty in cognitive and clinical sciences, with a focus on anxiety. We discuss how this conceptual structure provides clarity and can be naturally applied to existing frameworks of psychopathology research. Furthermore, it allows formal quantification of various types of uncertainty that can benefit both research and clinical practice in the era of computational psychiatry.

Impact of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Brain Structural Changes in Panic Disorder

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the impact of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) on structural changes in the brain and symptom severity in patients with panic disorder.

METHODS

This study included 90 participants diagnosed with panic disorder. The IU Scale, Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Self-Forgiveness Scale (SFS), and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF) were used. A voxel-wise correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the structural differences in the gray matter.

RESULTS

As IU increased, the cortical thickness of the right lingual gyrus decreased significantly, while the gray matter volume of the right pars triangularis increased. The cortical thickness of the right lingual gyrus showed a significant negative correlation with the BDI-II score and a positive correlation with the SFS. Additionally, the gray matter volume of the right pars triangularis was positively correlated with the PDSS, PSWQ, and BDI-II scores and negatively correlated with the mental health domain of the SF.

CONCLUSION

According to our findings, elevated IU in participants with panic disorder was associated with cortical thinning in the lingual gyrus and increased gray matter volume in the pars triangularis. These structural alterations may also have an impact on perceived quality of life, as well as high levels of depression and anxiety.

Feeling uncertain despite knowing the risk: Patients with OCD (but not controls) experience known and unknown probabilistic decisions as similarly distressing and uncertain

Patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) present as risk-averse and avoidant of feared stimuli, yet the literature examining risk aversion in OCD is conflicting. One possible explanation is that patients may exhibit aversion only on ambiguous tasks where the likelihood of possible outcomes is unknown. To test this idea, the current study assigned 30 patients with OCD versus 30 non-psychiatric controls (NPC) to conditions of known versus unknown risk (i.e., probabilities) on the Beads Task. Importantly, the task involved real financial stakes. We also examined self-reported intolerance of uncertainty (IU) as a mechanism. Results revealed a significant risk information x group interaction for certainty about the decision. Specifically, while NPCs felt significantly less certain on the unknown risk (versus known risk) task, the OCD group felt uncertain regardless of risk information. Results also revealed a significant main effect of group for distress after deciding, such that the OCD group was more distressed across all task versions compared to NPCs. Elevated trait IU was associated with higher task-related distress. Results indicate that even when patients with OCD are given information about likelihoods, they still feel uncertain and experience distress. Findings have clinical implications for addressing risk aversion and ambiguity/uncertainty in treatment.

Intolerance of Uncertainty and Cognition in Breast Cancer Survivors: The Mediating Role of Anxiety

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is one of the most prevalent symptoms that breast cancer survivors experience. While cancer treatments are established contributors to CRCI, inter-individual differences in CRCI are not well understood. Individual differences in sensitivity to uncertainty are potential contributors to CRCI; however, no prior studies have attempted to examine this link in the context of breast cancer. To address the gap, we used preliminary findings from an ongoing cross-sectional study. A total of 38 women with stage I-III breast cancer (1-4 years post-treatment) were included in this study. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) was assessed using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Self-reported cognitive function was assessed with the Neuro-QoL questionnaire. Anxiety was assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System Bank. From this study, we found that anxiety mediates the association between IU and cognitive function of survivors. In other words, among post-menopausal breast cancer survivors, those with higher IU showed higher anxiety and consequently had lower cognitive function. This finding suggests that assessing IU may help predict the risk of CRCI. This study expands the current knowledge that addresses the importance of IU as a factor associated with cognitive health.

Role of Cue Training, Context, and Stimulus Intensity on Fear Generalization in Humans

Fear generalization is a crucial mechanism underlying maladaptive behavior, but factors influencing this process are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of cue training and context on fear generalization and how cognitive rules influence responses to different conditions. We also examined the role of stimulus intensity in fear generalization to provide insight into fear generalization mechanisms. Participants (n = 104) completed a fear emotion task with two stages: acquisition and generalization testing. Subjective fear expectancy ratings were used as outcome measures. Participants who received single threat cue training exhibited stronger fear generalization responses than those who received discrimination training with threat and safe cues. Participants who received discrimination training and used linear rules had the strongest fear response to the largest stimulus. Therefore, a safe cue may mitigate fear generalization but could increase fear responses to more intense stimuli. Altering context did not change the fear generalization response because fear generalization is mainly governed by the association between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned fear stimulus. The present study emphasizes the multifaceted nature of fear generalization and the importance of examining multiple factors to understand this phenomenon. These findings elucidate fear learning and provide insights needed for effective interventions for maladaptive behavior.

Managing emotions in panic disorder: A systematic review of studies related to emotional intelligence, alexithymia, emotion regulation, and coping

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Panic disorder is defined by recurring and unexpected panic attacks, accompanied by anticipatory anxiety about future attacks and their consequences. This generally involves avoiding situations and behaviors that can produce panic attacks (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Among anxiety disorders, panic disorder is associated with some of the greatest burdens in terms of personal suffering, occupational disability, and societal cost. The objective of this article is to systematically identify and review the empirical literature on emotional management processes and strategies associated with panic disorder, with the aim of evaluating their role in the development and maintenance of panic disorder, in order to better understand the pathogenesis of the disorder and guide clinicians to improve their current treatments.

METHODS

Four databases were searched for studies which were based on self-reported questionnaires or a methodology based on an experimental procedure.

RESULTS

Of the 1719 articles identified, 61 referred to different aspects of emotional management. People living with PD are characterized by low emotional intelligence levels, excessive use of suppression, impaired cognitive reappraisal, high levels of alexithymia and maladaptive coping strategies.

LIMITATIONS

Most of the reviewed studies used measures of emotional management in cross-sectional models and were based on self-assessment reports.

CONCLUSIONS

Improving emotional intelligence levels is key to increasing emotion regulation flexibility for people living with PD. Automatic cognitive reappraisal impairment in these people indicates low importance of cognitive restructuring in psychotherapeutic treatment.

An examination of distress tolerance, anxiety sensitivity, and intolerance of uncertainty in adults in routine psychiatric care

AIM

A person's ability to tolerate negative emotional states (Distress Tolerance - DT), uncertainty in their everyday lives (Intolerance of Uncertainty - IU), and a tendency to appraise their own feelings of anxiety as harmful (Anxiety Sensitivity - AS) have all been identified as vulnerability factors for anxiety and depressive disorders. However, the relationship between these variables and broader aspects of psychiatric symptom severity in participants recruited from routine care remains unclear.

METHOD

The Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), Anxiety Sensitivity Scale-3 (ASI-3), and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-Short Form (IUS-12) were administered to 91 patients receiving treatment at the Lund Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic. Data was collected from their medical records about their psychiatric history and scores on the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). The relationship between total scores on the DTS, ASI-3, IUS-12 and BSI were evaluated via correlations and regression analyses.

RESULTS

DTS, ASI-3, and IUS-12 total scores correlated in the moderate to large range, and consistent with previous literature, were moderately to strongly correlated with the severity of self-reported depression, anxiety and overall symptoms (BSI). Regression analyses indicated that together, scores on the DTS, ASI-3 and IUS-12 explained moderate levels of variance in BSI symptom scores, with DTS scores showing the strongest associations. These findings suggest that further studies are needed to examine the construct and criterion validity of the three scales. Further validation of these Swedish-language are also warranted.

Evaluating competing models of distress tolerance via structural equation modeling

Distress Tolerance (DT) is a transdiagnostic risk and maintenance factor implicated in a wide range of internalizing spectrum (INT) disorders. DT is commonly conceptualized as a higher-order construct, yet its lower-order dimensions are still debated. While the tolerance of negative emotions, frustration, and physical discomfort are widely considered to be central features of DT, the inclusions of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety sensitivity (AS) are disputed. This study is the first to compare the two leading hierarchical models of DT directly. We also propose and test a DT model which includes IU and AS as lower-order dimensions. This "combined" model drew from the prior hierarchical theories and subsequent research demonstrating IU and AS to be highly correlated. To evaluate the competing models of DT, structured equation modeling was used to construct latent models representing each leading model and our novel "combined" model. A clinical sample was analyzed (N = 278), with participants having completed self-report scales measuring DT's theorized lower-order dimensions. Of the proposed models, the "combined" model demonstrated the best fit indices in the context of INT. A regression model with our "combined" model indicated that even after its shared variance with the Distress Intolerance Index (DII) was removed, it still had a moderate association with INT (β = 0.805, p < .01). This suggests that the only extant measure of the higher-order DT construct, the DII, fails to capture considerable variance in its latent structure. Future directions are discussed.

The relationship between social anxiety and self-injury of junior high school students: Mediation by intolerance of uncertainty and moderation by self-esteem

Objective

The problem of adolescents' self-injury has gradually attracted social attention, however, a lack of research exists on the internal mechanism between social anxiety and self-injury. This study explored the relationship between social anxiety and self-injury in Chinese junior high school students.

Method

An adolescent self-injury questionnaire, social anxiety scale, intolerance of uncertainty questionnaire and self-injury questionnaire were used to survey 614 junior high school students.

Results

The results showed that: (1) social anxiety had a significant positive predictive effect on self-injury; (2) intolerance of uncertainty had a significant mediating effect between social anxiety and self-injury; and (3) self-esteem had a significant moderating effect on the mediating effect of intolerance of uncertainty.

Conclusion

The study suggested that social anxiety in junior high school students has an impact on self-injury through mediation of intolerance of uncertainty and modulation of self-esteem.

Situational uncertainty interacts with anxiety sensitivity and distress intolerance to predict anticipated worry and preparation for a hurricane

BACKGROUND

There is evidence for the impact of emotional intolerance on reactivity to stressors, but it is unknown whether the level of situational uncertainty may moderate this relationship. We examined whether situational uncertainty moderated the relationship between emotional intolerance and anticipated anxious responding to hurricane forecasts, considering three aspects of emotional tolerance: anxiety sensitivity, distress intolerance, and hurricane-specific distress intolerance.

METHODS

Participants (N = 358) were Florida residents who experienced Hurricane Irma. Participants were presented with two hypothetical storm forecasts that varied in level of uncertainty: 5-day forecast (high uncertainty) and 3-day forecast (low uncertainty). Participants rated their anticipated worry and preparation for each forecast.

RESULTS

Significant interactions between forecast uncertainty and both anxiety sensitivity and hurricane-specific distress intolerance emerged on anticipated worry, such that there was a stronger relationship in the high uncertainty condition. Forecast uncertainty also moderated the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and anticipated preparation in the same direction. There were no significant interactions between forecast uncertainty and distress intolerance on either anticipated worry or preparation.

CONCLUSIONS

Specific aspects of emotional intolerance appear to have a stronger influence on anticipated worry and preparatory behavior in high uncertainty situations. These findings suggest that distinct emotional tolerance factors may influence these responses.

Intolerance of uncertainty and neural measures of anticipation and reactivity for affective stimuli

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a transdiagnostic construct referring to the aversive interpretation of contexts characterized by uncertainty. Indeed, there is a growing body of research examining individual differences in IU and how these are associated with emotional anticipation and reactivity during periods of certainty and uncertainty, however, how these associations are reflected via neurophysiological indices remain understudied and poorly understood. The present study examined the relationship between self-reported IU and neurophysiological measures of emotional anticipation and reactivity, namely stimulus preceding negativity (SPN) and late positive potential (LPP), and self-report measures of emotional experiences. These measures were captured during an S1-S2 picture viewing tasks in which participants were presented with cues (S1) that either indicated the affective valence of upcoming picture (S2) or provided no information about the valence. Findings here provide evidence for significant associations between SPN amplitude and IU scores during uncertain and certain-positive cueing conditions, and significant associations between LPP amplitude and IU scores during both certain- and uncertain-negative picture viewing conditions that appear driven by prospective IU sub-scores. These positive associations between IU and SPN amplitude are suggestive of heightened emotional anticipation following S1 cues, while positive associations between IU and LPP are suggestive of heightened emotional reactivity following S2 images. These findings are discussed in detail relative to existing IU literature, and potential implications of these findings.

Psychological Correlates of Health anxiety in Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: a Cross-Sectional Online Study in Iran

Current models suggest health anxiety as a fundamental variable associated with fear and anxiety related to COVID-19. The investigation was carried out in separate two studies on the Iranian population. The first study aims to test the COVID-19 Anxiety Inventory (N = 202). The findings indicate a two-factor structure of the scale. Participants (N = 1638) completed the online survey anonymously in the second study, including the COVID-19 Anxiety Inventory, Short Health Anxiety Inventory, The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Body Vigilance Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21, and Contamination Cognitions Scale. Results showed that health anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and body vigilance would significantly contribute to fears of contracting COVID-19. Moreover, the findings support a central role of intolerance of uncertainty in predicting COVID-19 anxiety. The study results provided both theoretical and practical implications for understanding psychosocial predictors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety sensitivity, and health anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring temporal relationships using cross-lag analysis

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety sensitivity (AS) have been widely discussed and explored as factors that may contribute to health anxiety. We propose that IU and AS are salient issues for many during the COVID-19 pandemic, and may play a role in the development or exacerbation of health anxiety during the pandemic. Studies have examined links between IU and AS with health anxiety during the pandemic, but these relationships have not been tested together using a longitudinal study design. In the present study, measures of IU, AS, and health anxiety were collected from 301 adults at two time points 6 months apart during (early stages of) the COVID-19 pandemic using an online survey platform. Cross-lagged analysis was utilized to simultaneously estimate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between these three variables. Robust cross-sectional associations were observed, and IU prospectively predicted changes in both health anxiety and AS. No other statistically significant prospective associations emerged. Present findings support the putative role of IU in health anxiety, suggesting that some observed links between AS and health anxiety could be driven by shared variance with IU. IU may be an important factor to monitor and target in health anxiety interventions during the pandemic.

Core self-evaluations as resilience and risk factors of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic

In view of the grave consequences of distress reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigated CSE (Core Self-evaluations) - internal/external health locus of control, generalized self-efficacy and trait optimism - and intolerance of uncertainty as potential correlates of distress reactions. We conducted an online questionnaire-based cross-sectional study with 422 Israeli respondents. Pandemic-related distress was defined by perceived stress, negative and positive affect, and worries. Predictors were: health locus of control, generalized self-efficacy, trait optimism, and intolerance of uncertainty. The findings show that CSEs and intolerance of uncertainty added between 11% (to perceived stress) and 22% (to negative affect) of explained variance beyond the background variables. Specifically, higher trait optimism and generalized self-efficacy were associated with less distress, and greater intolerance of uncertainty was correlated with higher distress. In conclusion, the CSE framework is useful for explaining psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond their theoretical contribution, the findings may have practical implications for increasing resilience and ameliorating distress during a pandemic.

The Investigation of Major Predictors of Well-Being in a Sample of Romanian University Students in the Post-Covid-19 Period

"The Coronavirus-induced pandemic has had a significant impact on the physical and psychological functioning of the entire world’s population. Research has indicated that besides the physical threat to health itself, the implications of constant uncertainty, separation from and/or loss of loved ones, loss of freedom to travel, shortage of food and financial resources, disruptions of usual life-routines, changing work and learning habits, further aggravate the effect of initial stressors, leading to increased levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia, lowered levels of well-being, and confusion. Unfortunately, just as the two-years long pandemic ended, the Ukrainian war started, and the Romanian population, since our country borders Ukraine, has experienced a novel type of stress, that of the possibility of being attacked, affected economically. Almost simultaneously, the online education has returned to classical form of teaching, amidst semester, being another stress factor for students. Our results indicated that the two-year long pandemic was considered as having the greatest impact by almost two-thirds of the students. Furthermore, the lack of self-efficacy component of perceived stress was a constant and strong predictor of all components of well-being (subjective and psychological), and perceived helplessness for subjective well-being. Regarding emotion regulation strategies refocus on planning, positive reevaluation, self- and other blame, withdrawal and actively approaching the source of stress proved to be the most important predictors. The results of our investigation may be beneficial for the tailoring of future prevention and intervention programs that would target the enhancement of psychological adaptation of students. Keywords: stress, depressive symptoms, uncertainty, emotion regulation strategies, subjective and psychological well-being, post COVID-19. "

Neuroticism and fear of COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic: Testing the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty and sense of control among Chinese high school students

Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2019, neuroticism has been proven a predictor of fear of COVID-19 infection. However, only few studies have been conducted on the factors affecting the relationship between neuroticism and this kind of fear. The present study is aimed at analyzing the role intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and sense of control (SOC) play in relation to neuroticism and the fear of COVID-19. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, China, and we collected complete datasets from 792 high school students. The main results can be described as follows: (a) individuals with high neuroticism tended to have higher intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and a lower sense of control (SOC); (b) IU and SOC played a mediating role between neuroticism and fear of COVID-19, and a serial mediation effect was found between these factors; (c) after controlling for both IU and SOC, the effect of neuroticism on fear was no longer significant. The results suggested a critical role of IU and sense of control in the causal relationship between neuroticism and fear.

Correlates of Dampening and Savoring in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Chronic worry and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms are associated with infrequent savoring, and high dampening, of positive emotions. The goal of the present study was to investigate the indirect role of GAD-relevant processes, including intolerance of uncertainty (IU), fear of negative emotional contrasts, and negative beliefs about positive emotion and its regulation, in the relationship between GAD symptom severity and the tendency to engage in dampening and not savor positive emotions. Community participants (N = 233) completed questionnaires online.

In separate models, IU, fear of negative emotional contrasts, and negative beliefs about positive emotion and its regulation fully mediated the relationships between GAD symptom severity and greater dampening and lower savoring. However, controlling for depression, only IU remained a significant mediator. A post hoc latent analysis of the mediators provided support for an underlying construct that may reflect intolerance of uncomfortable states. Intolerance of uncomfortable states was found to significantly mediate the relationship between GAD symptoms and greater dampening and lower savoring. Difficulty withstanding uncertainty may be particularly relevant in understanding why people with elevated GAD symptoms engage in efforts to avoid experiencing positive emotions. Further, the findings suggest that there may be a common factor underlying a variety of GAD-associated constructs reflecting a broad intolerance of uncomfortable inner states. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Cognitive Training via a Mobile Application to Reduce Obsessive-Compulsive-Related Distress and Cognitions During the COVID-19 Outbreaks: A Randomized Controlled Trial Using a Subclinical Cohort

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a persistent psychiatric disorder causing significant impairment in functioning. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated OCD-related symptoms and interrupted access to treatment. Recent research suggests mHealth apps are promising tools for coping with OCD symptoms. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a CBT-based mobile application designed to reduce OCD symptoms and cognitions in community participants considered at high risk of developing OCD symptoms. Following initial screening (n = 924), fifty-five community participants scoring 2 standard deviations above the OCI-R mean were randomized into two groups. In the immediate-app use group (iApp; n = 25), participants started using the application at baseline (T0), 4 min a day, for 12 days (T0-T1). Participants in the delayed-app group (dApp; n = 20) started using the mobile application at T1 (crossover) and used the app for the following 12 consecutive days (T1-T2). Intention to treat analyses indicated that using the app for 12 consecutive days was associated with large effect-size reductions (Cohen's d ranging from .87 to 2.73) in OCD symptoms and maladaptive cognitions in the iApp group (from T0 to T1) and dApp group (from T1 to T2). These reductions were maintained at follow-up. Our findings underscore the usefulness of brief, low-intensity, portable interventions in reducing OCD symptoms and cognitions during the pandemic.

Intolerance of Uncertainty in Pediatric Chronic Pain: Dyadic Relationships Between Youth and Parents

The current study used a dyadic analytic approach (actor-partner interdependence models) to assess the stability and interrelationships of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) among a cohort of youth with chronic pain and their parents (n = 156 dyads). Relationships between parent and youth IU, parent and youth pain interference, and parent and youth internalizing mental health symptoms were examined. At baseline and follow-up, youth and parents completed psychometrically-sound questionnaires to assess their respective IU, pain characteristics, and clinical outcomes (pain interference, anxiety, depressive, and posttraumatic stress symptoms). Our findings support the construct stability of IU over time, as well as intrapersonal (ie, actor) effects of IU on follow-up youth pain interference and mental health symptoms and parents' mental health symptoms (but not parent pain interference). There were no interpersonal (ie, partner) effects over time between youth and parent IU or between youth and parent IU and pain interference or mental health symptoms. These findings align with previous research evidencing IU as a transdiagnostic risk factor for a range of mental health concerns and extend previous findings by showing the stability of parent and youth IU over time and its potential predictive relevance to outcomes in a clinical sample of youth with chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents dyadic analyses assessing intrapersonal and interpersonal associations between intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and pain and mental health symptoms in youth with chronic pain and their parents. Analyses evidenced short-term construct stability of IU and intrapersonal (but not interpersonal) effects of IU on pain and mental health symptoms.

Testing the Uncertainty-of-Stress Model: Developing the Adolescent Uncertainty Scale for Taiwanese Adolescents

This study developed an Adolescents’ Uncertainty Scale (AUS), with the aim of understanding individual differences in uncertainty among adolescents. In the pretest phase, 507 ninth-grade students were recruited. After exploratory factor analyses, a 25-item AUS with four dimensions—irresoluteness, instability, lack of self-knowledge, and uncertainty of future—was obtained. During the formal testing phase, 3106 ninth grade students were recruited. The internal consistency reliability of the subscales was between .85 and .90, and the overall reliability was .95. Confirmatory factor analysis also indicated that the four-dimension model had acceptable internal validity. To assess external validity, 1967 ninth-grade students were recruited. Gathering the data of students’ test anxiety and academic achievement, the results revealed that uncertainty partially mediated the effect of academic achievement on test anxiety, which is in line with the uncertainty-of-stress model (USM). On the basis of the preliminary results, the scale may be used for counseling and by educators.

Coping with COVID-19: Survey data assessing psychological distress to COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy with measures of theory of planned behavior, mindfulness, compassion, cultural orientation, and pandemic fatigue

As the COVID-19 pandemic extends into another year, the causes and consequences of pandemic fatigue and vaccine hesitancy have become prominent concerns. This dataset contains MTurk survey responses from 658 vaccinated USA samples indicating: (a) pandemic fatigue and psychological distress (physical and trauma symptoms); (b) delays in receiving medical care due to COVID-19 restrictions; (c) vaccine-related behavior and beliefs (type of vaccine and vaccine hesitancy), and (d) COVID-19 preventive health behaviors. Several predictor variables were also collected including: (a) demographic variables; (b) COVID-19 health risk factors; (c) perceived susceptibility to disease and intolerance of uncertainty; (d) attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control about COVID-19 vaccine from the theory of planned behavior; (e) compassion for self and others; (f) psychological flexibility and inflexibility; (g) Buddhist mindfulness insight (impermanence, acceptance of suffering, nonself attachment, mindfulness); and (h) cultural orientation and authoritarianism. The data were collected between August 28th and October 18th of 2021. Out of the 746 MTurk workers who responded to the survey, 88 were removed from the dataset due to failing attention checks and problems with quality data. The responses from the remaining 658 allow an examination of the associations between fatigue and distress from COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccine related behaviors and beliefs; preventive health behaviors for COVID-19; COVID-19 susceptibility; intolerance of uncertainty; together with compassion, psychological flexibility, mindfulness, cultural orientation, as well as authoritarianism as possible moderators of COVID-19 fatigue, distress, and vaccine beliefs.

Life goals and proactive career behaviors: The mediating role of visions about the future and the moderating role of intolerance of uncertainty

Dominated by uncertainties, today's work world pushed university students to exhibit proactive career behaviors. Thus, this created a need for more research conducted to determine the variables associated with proactive career behaviors, on the grounds that additional research may contribute to an increase in proactive career behaviors. In this context the study explored the mediating role of visions about the future and the moderating role of intolerance of uncertainty in the relationship between university students' life goals and their proactive career behaviors. The study was carried out with 519 students (299 females and 220 males) studying at a university in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey. The Scale of Setting Life Goals with Respect to Positive Psychotherapy, the Visions about the Future Scale, the Career Engagement Scale, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale were employed as data collection tools. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis, structural equation modeling methods, and regression analysis based on the bootstrap method. The correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between proactive career behaviors, life goals and visions about the future, and a negative relationship between proactive career behaviors and intolerance of uncertainty. Furthermore, the analyses put forth that visions about the future have a mediating role in the relationship between life goals and proactive career behaviors and that intolerance of uncertainty has a moderating role in the same relationship. Increasing university students' life goals and their visions about the future and reducing their intolerance of uncertainty will help them exhibit proactive career behaviors.

Sustained threat and phasic fear in the laboratory and cognitive-emotional processes of anxiety in everyday life - An ambulatory assessment study

Fear is a phasic state of apprehension to an imminent threat, whereas anxiety is a more sustained state of expecting a potential threat leading to tension and worry. The NPU-threat test is a laboratory startle paradigm allowing a reliable and valid assessment of both, fear- and anxiety-potentiated reactions. It is suggested to differentiate between anxiety disorders, but little is known on associations with everyday life experiences of cognitive-emotional processes regarding anxiety in non-clinical samples. In the present project, the NPU-threat test was applied in three studies with (1) unselected healthy individuals, (2) participants with extreme manifestations of trait anxiety (low vs. high) and (3) individuals preparing for a high-stakes exam. Self-reported states of emotionality and worry were assessed during a four-day ambulatory assessment (AA). Overall, NPU-threat test measures did not significantly differ between studies, while the AA dependent measures were sufficiently sensitive to capture differences between groups. However, there was no significant association between psychophysiological measures of the NPU-threat test and AA state measures across participants. In participants recruited for low vs. high trait anxiety we found an association with AA worry and emotionality, but no interaction with potentiated startle. The present findings do not support the idea of a link between our laboratory biomarker and adaptive regulation of cognitive-emotional states in everyday life in healthy individuals. We speculate that an association between laboratory physiological measures and everyday experience of anxious states may be detectable in clinical samples.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Behavior and Physical and Mental Health of Romanian College Students

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 significantly marked people’s lives with respect to their behavior, and their physical and mental health. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2021 for a period of 5 months. The study sample included 218 students from the College of Physical Education and Sports of the University of Suceava who filled in a questionnaire on mental, physical and behavioral symptoms caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the Anxiety Assessment Questionnaire (STAI). Results: The responses indicated increased anxiety, physical symptoms, altered behavior, and increased perception of social restrictions. Regression analyses indicated that the levels of anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak were strongly correlated with cognitive, physical and behavioral symptoms of the students. These were influenced by the living arrangements, location (urban vs. rural), age group and study year. Conclusions: The results show that first-year students did not exhibit significant physical and cognitive symptoms despite reporting anxiety, probably due to their enthusiasm as beginners. The 3rd year students were prone to anxiety and reported cognitive symptoms, possibly due to the prospects of an uncertain future.

Different drives of herding: An exploratory study of motivations underlying social conformity

We often align our behaviors, attitudes, and opinions in line with a majority of others, a phenomenon known as "social conformity." A seminal framework has proposed that conformity behaviors are mainly driven by three fundamental motives: a desire to gain more information to be accurate, to obtain social approval from others, and to maintain a favorable self-concept. However, previous studies usually have interpreted conformity behaviors as driven by one motive or another, largely ignoring the fact that human behaviors could be concurrently induced by multiple and even conflicting motivations. Adopting a typical conformity paradigm widely used in previous studies, we explored distinct and concurrent motives underlying the same conformity behavior, combining personality and individual differences with more nuanced analyses of observed conformity behaviors. Our findings provide novel evidence to show that three motivations exist within a single conformity behavior, suggesting that multiple motivations drive the conformity concurrently. These findings provide a potential solution for the extensive debate about what drives human social conformity and help to better understand the conformity behavior in daily life.

Falls-efficacy as a multiple dimension construct: the role of post-traumatic symptoms

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to provide the basis for a new theoretical understanding of the psychological response to falls. We tested a hypothesised model of multiple dimensions of falls-efficacy (FE) in older adults. The model involved two main components of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - fear and dysphoria - that were hypothesised to be directly associated with FE. The model proposed three pathways related to FE: 'at the moment FE' related to fear, 'constant FE' related to dysphoria and 'elaborated FE' related to fear of falls (FoF).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study a convenience sample of 119 older adults hospitalised in Poland due to fall-related injuries completed a survey involving fear of falls, FE and PTSD assessment.

RESULTS

All three hypothesised pathways related to FE were supported, which accounted for 61% of the variance in falls efficacy. Very strong relationships were found between FE and dysphoria (.447, 95% CI [.303, .632], p = .006), FE and fear (.261, 95% CI [.109, .416], p = .009), and FE and FoF (-.286, 95% CI [-.396, -.183], p = .006).

CONCLUSION

FE is not a unidimensional concept but acts differently depending on what influences it. Dysphoria appears to be central to the fall-related constructs of FE and FoF and responsible for their maladaptivity. FoF, which is often misinterpreted as FE, was found to be less prominent in the analyses. Thus, fear of falls may not always be negative, as it is commonly believed, but adaptive and protective.

Attentional Control Moderates the Relations between Intolerance of Uncertainty and Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Symptoms

BACKGROUND

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), perceived attentional control (AC), and poor cognitive control abilities are risk factors for anxiety; however, few studies have examined their interactive effects in relation to anxiety. A more complete understanding of interplay between IU, perceived AC, and cognitive control could inform intervention efforts.

METHODS

The current study examined the direct and interactive effects of IU and AC on anxiety in a sample of 280 community outpatients (M age = 36.01 years, SD = 16.17). Perceived AC was measured using self-report and cognitive control abilities were measured using a Go/No-Go task.

RESULTS

Findings indicated a significant IU by perceived AC interaction predicting worry and GAD diagnoses. There was a positive relation between IU and worry/GAD diagnoses that was strongest among those with high perceived AC. Perceived AC was unrelated to cognitive control abilities, and cognitive control abilities did not interact significantly with IU. Cognitive control abilities were related to worry symptoms but not to GAD diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that at high levels of perceived AC, individuals with elevated IU report higher levels of worry, potentially due to the conscious use of worry as an emotion regulation strategy. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

Impact of Trauma Type on Startle Reactivity to Predictable and Unpredictable Threats

ABSTRACT

Trauma exposure has been repeatedly linked to psychophysiological threat reactivity, although the directionality of this association has been inconsistent. Several factors likely contribute to inconsistent findings including type of trauma and threat paradigm. The present study therefore examined the impact of trauma type on psychophysiological reactivity to predictable (P-) and unpredictable (U-) threat in young adults (N = 112). Participants were classified into three groups: history of interpersonal or noninterpersonal trauma, or no history of trauma. Startle eyeblink potentiation was recorded during a well-validated threat-of-shock paradigm. Results indicated individuals with interpersonal trauma exposure displayed exaggerated startle reactivity to U-threat (only) compared with both other groups. In contrast, individuals with noninterpersonal trauma exhibited blunted startle reactivity to U-threat (only) compared with both other groups. Findings reveal that trauma and threat type influence threat reactivity and that those with a history of interpersonal trauma may uniquely display exaggerated sensitivity to stressors that are uncertain.

Fear of COVID-19 lead to procrastination among Turkish university students: The mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 outbreak has not only increased mortality but has also negatively affected mental health among populations across the world. Furthermore, individuals are experiencing uncertainty about their current and future situation because of the pandemic. Therefore, the present study investigated the mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and procrastination among a sample of Turkish university students.

METHODS

Between October and November 2020, 450 university students (291 females and 159 males aged 17 to 24 years) from three state universities in Turkey completed an online survey. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling methods were employed to examine a model for understanding the general procrastination during COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

The results of the correlation analysis indicated that the fear of COVID-19 was positively correlated with both intolerance of uncertainty (r = .26, p < .001) and procrastination (r = .23, p < .001). The mediation analysis also showed that intolerance of uncertainty had a significant mediating role in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and procrastination (β = .11, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Reducing the fear of COVID-19 and intolerance of uncertainty is likely to contribute to reducing individuals' procrastination behaviors during the pandemic.

Are we still uncertain about the latent structure of intolerance of uncertainty: Results from factor mixture modeling in a Serbian sample

BACKGROUND

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a transdiagnostic risk factor for emotional disorders. Exploring the nature of IU might allow us to understand better a difference between pathological and normal worry processes. For that purpose, factor mixture modeling (FMM) can be used to test the latent structure of IU across a categorical-dimensional spectrum.

METHOD

In the current study, FMM was used to examine the structure of IU in a sample of 1440 (M_age = 19.71, SD = 1.14) university students in Serbia. A Serbian Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-11 was used.

RESULTS

Results suggest that IU has four latent classes, named as Low IU, Moderate-Low IU, Moderate-High IU and High IU. The Low IU and High IU classes significantly differed in levels of positive and negative affect (NA), symptoms of depression (D), anxiety (A), stress (A), depressive cognitive bias and anxiety sensitivity (AS). Moderate-Low IU and Moderate-High classes had higher symptoms than Low IU class, but lower than High IU class. The Moderate-Low IU and Moderate-High IU classes differed in symptoms of D, A, S, and in levels of AS and NA.

LIMITATIONS

This study was cross-sectional and included only non-clinical sample.

CONCLUSION

The latent structure of IU tested on a Serbian sample can be described in terms of hybrid latent structure The cut-off scores of ≤ 19 and ≥ 26 can be used to detect those who are non-vulnerable or at risk for IU-related psychopathology.

Anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty are unique and interactive risk factors for COVID-19 safety behaviors and worries

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety sensitivity (AS) predict distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about how AS and IU jointly predict COVID-19 worries and behaviors. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the direct and interactive effects of AS and IU as related to COVID-19 worries and behaviors in two samples of community adults recruited in April 2020 (N = 642; M age = 38.50 years, SD = 10.00) and May 2020 (N = 435; M age = 34.92 years, SD = 14.98). In sample 1, there was a significant AS by IU interaction predicting COVID-19-related catastrophizing worries, stockpiling, and cleaning behaviors such that the relationship of AS to COVID-19-related behaviors was stronger at high levels of IU. However, although AS predicted some COVID-19 related worries and behaviors, AS and IU did not interact in sample 2. Across samples, AS was directly related to financial and health worries, whereas IU was not a significant predictor after controlling for AS. These findings suggest AS consistently impacts COVID-19 worries and behaviors, particularly among individuals with high IU. Brief interventions targeting AS and IU may help people cope during the COVID-19 pandemic and reintegrate following the pandemic.

Lonely, anxious, and uncertain: Critical risk factors for suicidal desire during the COVID-19 pandemic

Public health measures enacted early in response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unprecedented physical isolation. Social isolation, or the objective experience of being alone, and loneliness, the subjective feeling of being lonely, are both implicated in suicidal ideation. Anxiety sensitivity (i.e., fear of somatic anxiety) and intolerance of uncertainty (distress due to uncertainty), may also be heightened in response to the pandemic increasing risk for suicidal ideation in response to social isolation and loneliness. The direct and interactive relations loneliness, anxiety sensitivity, and intolerance of uncertainty shared with suicidal ideation were examined using structural equation modeling across two samples. Sample 1 comprised 635 people (M age = 38.52, SD = 10.00; 49.0% female) recruited using Mechanical Turk in May 2020. Sample 2 comprised 435 people (M age = 34.92, SD = 14.98; 76.2% female) recruited from faculty, staff, and students at a midwestern university in June 2020. Loneliness and anxiety sensitivity were positively, uniquely associated with suicidal ideation across samples. Results of this study were cross-sectional and included only self-report measures. These findings highlight loneliness and anxiety sensitivity as important correlates of suicidal ideation. Modular treatments should be employed to target these mechanisms to reduce COVID-19-related suicidal ideation.

Eating Disorders Spectrum During the COVID Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Background: Several data suggest that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may exacerbate or trigger eating disorders (EDs). The aim of this paper was to summarize current literature studies on COVID pandemic and EDs. Methods: Literature search, study selection, methods, and quality evaluation were performed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: A systematic search allowed the initial selection of 172 papers; 21 (12.2%) papers were eligible and included in the review. In selected studies, a total number of 29,108 subjects were enrolled (range: 10-11,391; mean/SD: 1,386 ± 2,800), 6,216 were men (21.4%), 22,703 were women (77.9%), and 189 (0.7%) were gender fluid or not declared. The mean age/SD of subjects was 30.2 ± 7.7. About 12 studies (57.1%) were online surveys, 4 (19.0%) were retrospective studies, 2 (9.5%) were qualitative studies, 2 (9.5%) were longitudinal cohort studies, and 1 was a social media survey (4.8%). Their analysis revealed five main findings: (1) changes in the routines of physical activities were related to the worsening of preoccupation on weight/body shape; (2) food access limitation during pandemic represented the risk factors for both triggering and exacerbating EDs; (3) restriction in healthcare facilities contributed to increase anxiety levels and to modify treatment compliance; (4) social isolation was related to the exacerbation of symptoms in patients with EDs who are home-confined with family members; and (5) conflicts and difficulties in relationships with "no way out" were the maintenance factors for ED symptoms, especially in adolescents and young adults. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on EDs that might be triggered by the exceptional conditions derived from COVID-19-related stress in predisposed subjects. Patients who were already affected by EDs experienced the worsening of their clinical conditions and related quality of life (QoL).

Super-natural fears

Supernatural fears, although common, are not as well-understood as natural fears and phobias (e.g., social, blood, and animal phobias) which are prepared by evolution, such that they are easily acquired through direct experience and relatively immune to cognitive mediation. In contrast, supernatural fears do not involve direct experience but seem to be related to sensory or cognitive biases in the interpretation of stimuli as well as culturally driven cognitions and beliefs. In this multidisciplinary synthesis and collaborative review, we claim that supernatural beliefs are "super natural." That is, they occur spontaneously and are easy to acquire, possibly because such beliefs rest on intuitive concepts such as mind-body dualism and animism, and may inspire fear in believers as well as non-believers. As suggested by psychological and neuroscientific evidence, they tap into an evolutionarily prepared fear of potential impending dangers or unknown objects and have their roots in "prepared fears" as well as "cognitively prepared beliefs," making fear of supernatural agents a fruitful research avenue for social, anthropological, and psychological inquires.

The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Mindset between Intolerance of Uncertainty and Career Adaptability

Entrepreneurship education has been employed broadly in higher education, and one of the most popularly targeted outcomes is enhancing entrepreneurial mindset. However, the role of entrepreneurial mindset has not been examined in relation to career adaptability, which has been acknowledged as an important resource for adjustment, especially with the increased uncertainty caused by COVID-19. The current study investigated the relations among intolerance of uncertainty—specifically its sub-factors, prospective anxiety and inhibitory anxiety—career adaptability, and entrepreneurial mindset in 274 Korean college students facing school-to-work transition during COVID-19. The study conducted path analysis and evaluated the mediating effect of entrepreneurial mindset, using a 95% bootstrapping confidence interval, to better understand the role of entrepreneurial mindset in general career development in the context of uncertainty. The results found that inhibitory anxiety had an inverse association with career adaptability and entrepreneurial mindset, while prospective anxiety had a positive relation with career adaptability and entrepreneurial mindset. Entrepreneurial mindset and career adaptability showed a significantly positive relation, and the mediating role of entrepreneurial mindset between intolerance of uncertainty and career adaptability was also supported. Discussions on the role of entrepreneurial mindset are initiated and practical implications for entrepreneurship education are proposed along with the limitations of the study.

The Impact of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Test Anxiety: Student Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Test anxiety caused by intolerance of uncertainty has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of student athletes, especially in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A total of 556 grade three high school student athletes in Chongqing, China, were investigated using the Test Anxiety Scale (TAS), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 (IUS-12), Perceived Social Support Scale, and Coping Style Scale for Middle School Students. Results reveal that more than half the student athletes experienced test anxiety, and the severity was above average during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a significant correlation between intolerance of uncertainty, perceived social support, coping style, and test anxiety. A positive correlation was found between test anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and coping style toward emotions, and a negative correlation between test anxiety, perceived social support, and coping style toward problems. Intolerance of uncertainty has a direct predictive effect on test anxiety, and perceived social support and coping style play a chain mediator role between intolerance of uncertainty and test anxiety. By constructing the mediating effect model, we can, to some extent, reveal the mechanism of the influence of intolerance of uncertainty on test anxiety. This study has a certain reference value for the prevention of test anxiety in student athletes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

No pain, still gain (of function): the relation between sensory profiles and the presence or absence of self-reported pain in a large multicenter cohort of patients with neuropathy

ABSTRACT

The pathophysiology of pain in neuropathy is complex and may be linked to sensory phenotypes. Quantitative sensory testing, a standardized method to evaluate sensory profiles in response to defined stimuli, assesses functional integrity of small and large nerve fiber afferents and central somatosensory pathways. It has revealed detailed insights into mechanisms of neuropathy, yet it remains unclear if pain directly affects sensory profiles. The main objective of this study was to investigate sensory profiles in patients with various neuropathic conditions, including polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy, and lesions to the central nervous system, in relation to self-reported presence or absence of pain and pain sensitivity using the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire. A total of 443 patients (332 painful and 111 painless) and 112 healthy participants were investigated. Overall, loss of sensation was equally prevalent in patients with and without spontaneous pain. Pain thresholds were equally lowered in both patient groups, demonstrating that hyperalgesia and allodynia are just as present in patients not reporting any pain. Remarkably, this was similar for dynamic mechanical allodynia. Hypoalgesia was more pronounced in painful polyneuropathy, whereas hyperalgesia was more frequent in painful mononeuropathy (compared with painless conditions). Self-reported pain sensitivity was significantly higher in painful than in painless neuropathic conditions. Our results reveal the presence of hyperalgesia and allodynia in patients with central and peripheral lesions of the somatosensory system not reporting spontaneous pain. This shows that symptoms and signs of hypersensitivity may not necessarily coincide and that painful and painless neuropathic conditions may mechanistically blend into one another.