Intolerance of uncertainty and DSM-5 PTSD symptoms: Associations among a treatment seeking veteran sample.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), defined as an inability to tolerate the unpleasant response triggered by the observed absence of information, has received increased empirical attention in recent years. The contribution of this cognitive behavioral construct to the etiology and maintenance of various anxiety disorders has become increasingly recognized. However, the relationship between IU and other affective disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), remains largely unexplored. The current study sought to examine the relationship between IU and overall PTSD symptom and cluster severity using an outpatient sample of veterans (N = 116) assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5) PTSD symptom structure. Results revealed that IU was significantly associated with overall PTSD symptom severity, above and beyond relevant covariates. Further, IU was significantly associated with the PTSD avoidance and hyperarousal clusters. Prospective IU, rather than inhibitory IU, accounted for these unique associations. These findings add to a growing body of literature establishing IU as a transdiagnostic risk factor and point to the importance of future research on the role of IU in contributing to and/or maintaining PTSD symptoms.