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Intolerance of uncertainty, social support, and loneliness in relation to anxiety and depressive symptoms among women diagnosed with ovarian cancer
Author(s) -
Hill Erin M.,
Hamm Andriana
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.4975
Subject(s) - loneliness , moderation , anxiety , social support , clinical psychology , mental health , psychology , depression (economics) , social anxiety , distress , psychiatry , psychotherapist , social psychology , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract Objective Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a trait variable that captures an individual's lack of tolerance for unknown outcomes and events. Positive correlations between IU and mental health symptoms have been observed in various populations, while social variables (social support and decreased loneliness) seem to serve as protective factors against psychological distress among individuals with cancer. The present study examined the moderation effect of social support and loneliness in the relationship between IU and mental health symptoms among women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Methods This study was a cross‐sectional design involving 131 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer recruited through social media and other online sources. Participants completed questionnaires that assessed their IU (prospective and inhibitory), anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, social support, and loneliness. Moderated regression analyses were applied to test the hypothesis that low social support and high loneliness would exacerbate the relationship between IU and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results The hypothesized moderation effects (social support × IU, loneliness × IU) were not supported in the anxiety and depressive symptoms models. Post hoc linear regression analyses indicated that IU and loneliness were predictive of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Loneliness was the strongest predictor in both the anxiety and depressive symptoms models, followed by IU. Conclusions The findings indicate that loneliness and IU—particularly inhibitory IU—are important considerations in understanding mental health symptoms among women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Addressing both loneliness and IU may be an important avenue in clinical settings.