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Multi-dimensional structure of the Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale (ATAS: original Japanese version) and its relationship with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ) were investigated. We administered the ATAS and the Japanese version of the AAQ to 1019 Japanese healthy volunteers (513 females and 506 males; age range 18–78 years). Trial of exploratory factor analysis extracted four distinct clusters (Enjoyment; α = .83, Anxiety; α = .75, Exclusion; α = .75, and Noninterference; α = .65) from the ATAS item pool, suggestive of diversity in cognitive/ emotional/ behavioral responses to ambiguity. Confirmative factor analysis showed similar goodness in fit indices between the new four-factor model in the present study and the original five-factor model in our previous study (Nishimura 2007). Considering interpretability by using large number of representative samples with general population in the present study, we adopted the four-factor model. The ATAS Anxiety subscale was negatively correlated with the AAQ willingness subscale (r = −.39, p < .001), while the ATAS Enjoyment subscale was positively correlated with the AAQ Action subscale (r = .40, p < .001). It is thus suggested that one who enjoys ambiguous situations can adopt two distinct attitudes: Excluding ambiguity from active resolution, or not interfering with ambiguity due to good tolerance of this experience, which can lead to positive and flexible commitments in life. In contrast, one who tends to be anxious about ambiguity may be characterized by exclusion-based attitudes due to intolerance of ambiguity, leading to lowered acceptance of their feelings and of the reality of circumstances. Cognitive/emotional attitudes towards ambiguity may affect acceptance of inner experience and active commitment to reality.

This study aims to examine the effects of multidimensional attitudes towards ambiguity on subclinical depression and anxiety in healthy individuals. Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale, consisting of four clusters (enjoyment, anxiety, exclusion, and noninterference), Self-Rating Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–trait version were administered to 1019 Japanese volunteers. The result of a regression analysis suggested that the score of Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale–enjoyment factor significantly contributed to the Self-Rating Depression Scale score while that of Attitudes Towards Ambiguity Scale–anxiety factor significantly contributed to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory–trait score. Among attitudes toward ambiguity, enjoyment may have protective effects against subclinical depression whereas anxiety can enhance anxiety-trait in nonclinical individuals.

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