Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults
As multiple vulnerability factors have been defined for anxiety disorders, it is important to investigate the interactions among these factors to understand why and how some individuals develop anxiety. Sensory Sensitivity (SS) and Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) are independent vulnerability factor...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023012781 |
| _version_ | 1797851821407993856 |
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| author | Veronica Panchyshyn Ayda Tekok-Kilic Jan C. Frijters Christine Tardif-Williams |
| author_facet | Veronica Panchyshyn Ayda Tekok-Kilic Jan C. Frijters Christine Tardif-Williams |
| author_sort | Veronica Panchyshyn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As multiple vulnerability factors have been defined for anxiety disorders, it is important to investigate the interactions among these factors to understand why and how some individuals develop anxiety. Sensory Sensitivity (SS) and Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) are independent vulnerability factors of anxiety, but their unique relationship in predicting anxiety has rarely been studied in non-clinical populations. The objective of this investigation was to examine the combined effects of SS and IU on self-reported anxiety in a sample of university students. In addition, with the frequently reported sex bias in anxiety literature, we expected that the combined effects of vulnerability factors would be different for females and males. A convenience sample of 313 university students, ages 17–26 years was recruited. The participants completed the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12), the Adult/Adolescent Sensory Profile (AASP), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results of moderated mediation analyses demonstrated a strong partial mediation between SS and anxiety through IU, providing evidence that IU, a cognitive bias against the unknown, was one mechanism that explained how SS was related to anxiety. Further, the effect of IU on anxiety was approximately twice as strong in females. Our results highlight the importance of studying the unique relationships among multiple vulnerability factors to better understand anxiety susceptibility in emerging adults. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:24:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0298020f97544cce94d7adf041ee0115 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:24:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-0298020f97544cce94d7adf041ee01152023-04-05T08:20:37ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-03-0193e14071Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adultsVeronica Panchyshyn0Ayda Tekok-Kilic1Jan C. Frijters2Christine Tardif-Williams3Corresponding author.; Department of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St Catharines Ontario, L2S 3A1, CanadaDepartment of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St Catharines Ontario, L2S 3A1, CanadaDepartment of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St Catharines Ontario, L2S 3A1, CanadaDepartment of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St Catharines Ontario, L2S 3A1, CanadaAs multiple vulnerability factors have been defined for anxiety disorders, it is important to investigate the interactions among these factors to understand why and how some individuals develop anxiety. Sensory Sensitivity (SS) and Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) are independent vulnerability factors of anxiety, but their unique relationship in predicting anxiety has rarely been studied in non-clinical populations. The objective of this investigation was to examine the combined effects of SS and IU on self-reported anxiety in a sample of university students. In addition, with the frequently reported sex bias in anxiety literature, we expected that the combined effects of vulnerability factors would be different for females and males. A convenience sample of 313 university students, ages 17–26 years was recruited. The participants completed the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12), the Adult/Adolescent Sensory Profile (AASP), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results of moderated mediation analyses demonstrated a strong partial mediation between SS and anxiety through IU, providing evidence that IU, a cognitive bias against the unknown, was one mechanism that explained how SS was related to anxiety. Further, the effect of IU on anxiety was approximately twice as strong in females. Our results highlight the importance of studying the unique relationships among multiple vulnerability factors to better understand anxiety susceptibility in emerging adults.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023012781Sensory SensitivityIntolerance of UncertaintyAnxietySex differencesEmerging adulthood |
| spellingShingle | Veronica Panchyshyn Ayda Tekok-Kilic Jan C. Frijters Christine Tardif-Williams Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults Heliyon Sensory Sensitivity Intolerance of Uncertainty Anxiety Sex differences Emerging adulthood |
| title | Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults |
| title_full | Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults |
| title_fullStr | Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults |
| title_short | Sensory sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults |
| title_sort | sensory sensitivity intolerance of uncertainty and sex differences predicting anxiety in emerging adults |
| topic | Sensory Sensitivity Intolerance of Uncertainty Anxiety Sex differences Emerging adulthood |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023012781 |
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