Associations between interpersonal trauma and intolerance of uncertainty in an international multi-site sample

Abstract

Prior traumatic experiences have been linked to increased risk for mental health conditions. However, there remain questions about the relationship between prior interpersonal trauma, particularly that of neglect and abuse, and transdiagnostic dimensions such as intolerance of uncertainty (IU: the tendency to find uncertainty aversive). To address this gap, we conducted a secondary analysis of survey data from an international multi-site sample (n=2510). Questionnaires included: Interpersonal trauma by type (e.g. emotional neglect, physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse) and IU. The findings revealed that emotional neglect, compared to other types of abuse, was specifically related to higher IU. Furthermore, experiencing multiple forms of neglect and abuse was associated with higher IU. Importantly, these effects remained when controlling for broader negative beliefs about the self and others, and demographic factors (site, age, sex assigned at birth, and educational attainment). Overall, these findings demonstrate that interpersonal trauma, particularly emotional neglect, is associated with IU. Future longitudinal research is required to examine if, how, and when after adversity, higher IU may emerge.