Intolerance of uncertainty and problem orientation in worry

Worry, which is the central feature of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), is now recognized as a truly important clinical phenomenon. The present study examines the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and problem orientation in nonclinical worry. Subjects were 285 French-Canadian university students who completed a battery of questionnaires on a voluntary basis. The results indicate that intolerance of uncertainty and emotional problem orientation are strong predictors of trait worry, even when personal variables (age, sex) and mood state (level of anxiety, depression) have been partialed out. The findings also show that intolerance of uncertainty and emotional problem orientation both make common as well as a unique contributions to the prediction of worry. Implications for the treatment of worry are discussed and specific guidelines for reducing intolerance of uncertainty and intolerance of emotional arousal for different types of worries are suggested.