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Beyond Cause or Consequence: Intolerance of Uncertainty and Internalizing Symptoms in a Reciprocal Developmental
Haoxian Ye1,2, Luowei Bu1,2, Jiaxiong Zhang1,2
1School of Psychology, Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Guangdong Emergency Response Technology Research Center for Psychological Assistance in Emergencies, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
|August 14, 2026
Summary
Intolerance of uncertainty and adolescent internalizing symptoms influence each other over time. This reciprocal relationship suggests both factors are key targets for adolescent mental health prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is linked to adolescent internalizing symptoms.
- The developmental relationship between IU and internalizing symptoms is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal, reciprocal associations between intolerance of uncertainty and internalizing symptoms in adolescents.
- To differentiate between stable between-person differences and within-person developmental changes in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- A three-wave longitudinal study of 3562 adolescents (mean age 14.27 years).
- Utilized cross-lagged panel models and random-intercept cross-lagged panel models.
- Employed bifactor models for robust construct representation.
Main Results:
- Reciprocal longitudinal associations were observed between intolerance of uncertainty and internalizing symptoms.
- Within-person analyses revealed that increases in one predicted subsequent increases in the other.
- These reciprocal patterns were robust across different modeling approaches.
Conclusions:
- Intolerance of uncertainty and internalizing symptoms engage in a reciprocal developmental process throughout adolescence.
- Understanding this dynamic relationship advances knowledge of adolescent psychopathology.
- Both intolerance of uncertainty and internalizing symptoms represent potential targets for prevention efforts.
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