Intolerance of uncertainty mediates the relationship between panic and the startle reflex in anticipation of unpredictable threat

Nelson, Brady D.; Liu, Huiting; Sarapas, Casey; Shankman, Stewart A.

doi:10.5127/jep.048115

Cited by 32Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Intolerance of uncertainty mediates the relationship between panic and the startle reflex in anticipation of unpredictable threat

Nelson, Brady D., Liu, Huiting, Sarapas, Casey, Shankman, Stewart A.·2016·Journal of Experimental Psychopathology

DOI 10.5127/jep.048115

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Abstract

The present study examined whether intolerance of uncertainty (IU) was associated with the startle reflex in anticipation of unpredictable threat, and whether IU mediated the relationship between panic and sensitivity to unpredictable threat. This was tested in separate samples of 86 undergraduates with varying panic symptoms and 148 adults with current panic disorder or no lifetime history of an anxiety disorder. Participants completed the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, which measures cognitive distress (prospective IU) and behavioral inhibition (inhibitory IU) elicited by uncertainty, and a no, predictable, and unpredictable threat-of-shock startle paradigm. In both samples prospective IU was associated with heightened startle during the unpredictable (but not predictable) condition, and in the clinical sample inhibitory IU was associated with attenuated startle during the unpredictable condition. IU mediated the relationship between panic and startle to unpredictable threat. These results support IU as a potential mechanism linking panic and sensitivity to unpredictable threat.

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Others have shown opposite relations with different facets of IU (positive with prospective and negative with inhibitory IU).
“or opposite relations with the different facets of IU (specifically, a positive relation with prospective and a negative relation with inhibitory IU; Nelson et al., 2016)”
From Aversive response to uncertainty as a mediator for the effect of a mindfulness intervention on symptoms of anxiety (2022) · cites this paper as Nelson et al., 2016
The finding of a positive relation between startle in response to uncertain threat and IU seems to be in direct contrast to the findings by Nelson et al. (2016).
“This finding of a positive relation between startle in response to uncertain threat and IU seems to be in direct contrast to the findings by Nelson et al. (2016)”
From Aversive response to uncertainty as a mediator for the effect of a mindfulness intervention on symptoms of anxiety (2022) · cites this paper as Nelson et al., 2016
The IU subscales may reflect hyper-reactive (prospective IU) and inhibitory (inhibitory IU) manifestations of IU.
“suggesting that the IU subscales may reflect hyper-reactive (prospective IU) and inhibitory (inhibitory IU) manifestations of IU (Nelson & Shankman, 2011;Nelson et al., 2016).”
From Responding to uncertain threat: A potential mediator for the effect of mindfulness on anxiety (2021) · cites this paper as Nelson et al., 2016
Nelson and colleagues found a negative association between startle in response to unpredictable threat and inhibitory IU, and a positive association with prospective IU.
“Further, Nelson and colleagues have conducted research with the individual IU subscales to detect possible suppressor effects and have found a negative association between startle in response to unpredictable threat and inhibitory IU, and a positive association with prospective IU”
From Responding to uncertain threat: A potential mediator for the effect of mindfulness on anxiety (2021) · cites this paper as Nelson et al., 2016

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Authors: Nelson, B. D., Liu, H., Sarapas, C., & Shankman, S. A.
Affiliations: Stony Brook University (US)
University of Illinois Chicago (US)
Corresponding author: Shankman, Stewart A.
ORCID: Nelson, Brady D.
Sarapas, Casey
Shankman, Stewart A.
Venue: Journal of Experimental Psychopathology
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2016-02-07
Volume: 7
Issue: 2
Pages: 172-189
ISSN: 2043-8087 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.5127/jep.048115
OpenAlex: W2335363332
Cited by: 32
References: 63
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2
FWCI: 4.75
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Journal of Experimental Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
Funders: University of Chicago
National Institutes of Health
University of Illinois at Chicago
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords: intolerance of uncertainty, panic, startle response, unpredictable threat, threat anticipation, panic disorder, mediation, behavioral inhibition

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Intolerance of uncertainty mediates the relationship between panic and the startle reflex in anticipation of unpredictable threat

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