Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale for Children—Parent-Report Form

Sensory reactivity differences are a diagnostic criterion of autism. Sensory hyperreactivity has been linked to intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety in autistic children. However, research is yet to explore the mediating relationships or sensory hyporeactivity, seeking and anxiety subtypes in preschool-age autistic children. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the relationships between sensory reactivity, intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety subtypes in a heterogeneous group of 54 preschool-age autistic children, age 3–5 years, using observation and parent-report assessments. Correlational analysis found sensory hyperreactivity, intolerance of uncertainty and total anxiety were significantly intercorrelated. In addition, sensory hyperreactivity was significantly correlated with separation anxiety when controlling for autism traits. Serial mediation analyses indicated significant full mediation between sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety through intolerance of uncertainty, and significant full mediation between sensory hyperreactivity and intolerance of uncertainty through anxiety. Our results suggest that sensory hyperreactivity is a key early factor in the development of anxiety, and supports that intolerance of uncertainty is an important interrelated construct in the development and maintenance of anxiety in autism. Our findings have important implications for the development of effective interventions. However, due to limitations with the measures, our research also highlights a pressing need for objective assessments of anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty that can be used with preschool-age autistic children. Lay abstract This study found links between greater sensory hyperreactivity (e.g., over-sensitive to sensory input), intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety, including separation anxiety, in autistic pre-schoolers. Sensory hyperreactivity may predict both anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty, and anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty may both be mutually important, mediating factors. These findings have implications for early anxiety interventions. But there is a pressing need for objective assessments that can be used with preschool-age autistic children.

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The relationship between sensory reactivity, intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety subtypes in preschool-age autistic children

10.31234/osf.io/ju2qb ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Keren MacLennan ◽

Timothy Rossow ◽

Teresa Tavassoli

Keyword(s):

Separation Anxiety ◽

Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Parent Report ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Preschool Age ◽

Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽

Autistic Children ◽

Sensory Reactivity ◽

Sensory Hyperreactivity

Sensory reactivity differences are a diagnostic criterion in autism spectrum conditions. Sensory hyperreactivity has been linked to intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety in autistic children. However, research is yet to explore the mediating relationships or sensory hyporeactivity, seeking, and anxiety subtypes in preschool-age autistic children. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the relationships between sensory reactivity, IU and anxiety subtypes in a heterogeneous group of 54 preschool-age autistic children, age 3-6 years, using a range of observational and parent-report assessments. Correlational analysis found sensory hyperreactivity, IU and anxiety subtypes, including generalised anxiety, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, physical injury fears, and separation anxiety, were significantly intercorrelated. Neither sensory hyporeactivity or seeking were significantly related to IU or anxiety subtypes. Serial mediation analyses indicated significant full mediation between sensory hyperreactivity and anxiety through IU, and significant full mediation between sensory hyperreactivity and IU through anxiety in preschool-age autistic children.Our results therefore suggest that theoretical models of anxiety in autism should consider sensory hyperreactivity as a predictive factor for anxiety, and supports that IU is an important interrelated construct in the development and maintenance of anxiety. Our findings have important implications for understanding anxiety and related symptoms in autistic children, which can inform the development of effective interventions. However, due to limitations with the measures, our research also highlights a pressing need for objective assessments of anxiety and IU that can be used with preschool-age autistic children.

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Utilizing Parent Report to Investigate Young Children's Fears: A Modification of the Fear Survey Schedule for Children–II: A Research Note

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry ◽

10.1017/s0021963097001881 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 271-277 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Paula Bouldin ◽

Chris Pratt

Keyword(s):

Parent Report ◽

Research Note ◽

Fear Survey Schedule

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Die Bedeutung von Unsicherheitsintoleranz für die Generalisierte Angststörung Modellüberlegungen und Entwicklung einer deutschen Version der Unsicherheitsintoleranz-Skala

Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie ◽

10.1026/1616-3443.37.3.190 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 190-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Alexander L. Gerlach ◽

Tanja Andor ◽

Julia Patzelt

Keyword(s):

Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽

Generalisierte Angststörung ◽

Deutsche Übersetzung

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: In der neueren Literatur wird Unsicherheitsintoleranz (UI) als ein wichtiger Faktor bei der Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung der Generalisierten Angststörung diskutiert. Die Skala zur Erfassung von UI fehlt bisher in deutscher Sprache. Fragestellung: Welche psychometrischen Eigenschaften weist die deutsche Übersetzung der „Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale” auf? Welche Faktorenstruktur liegt der Skala zugrunde? Kann das Instrument gekürzt werden? Ist die neu gewonnene Faktorenstruktur in einer unabhängigen Stichprobe zu replizieren? Welchen Anteil der Varianz der Sorgenaktivität (PSWQ) kann UI erklären? Wie lässt sich UI mit anderen relevanten Konstrukten in ein Modell der GAS integrieren? Methode: Mit Hilfe einer explorativen Faktorenanalyse wurde an einer studentischen Stichprobe (N = 682) die Faktorenstruktur des deutschen UI Fragebogens gewonnen. Auf Grundlage dieser Faktorenstruktur wurde eine gekürzte Version (UI-18) erstellt. Diese Faktorenstruktur wurde in einer zweiten studentischen Stichprobe (N = 540) konfirmiert. Zur Konstruktvalidierung wurde ein Regressionsmodell zur Vorhersage von Sorgenaktivität gerechnet. Ergebnisse: Der neu gewonnene Fragebogen UI-18 weist drei replizierbare Faktoren auf („Eingeschränkte Handlungsfähigkeit bei UI”, „Belastung durch UI” und „Vigilanz bei UI”). Die UI Skalen Belastung und Vigilanz, vier Skalen des Metakognitionsfragebogen und Geschlecht sagen bedeutsam Sorgenaktivität voraus. Schlussfolgerungen: Unsicherheitsintoleranz kann reliabel gemessen werden. Vor dem Hintergrund unserer Ergebnisse wird ein Modell der GAS vorgestellt, das Unsicherheitsintoleranz, Metakognitionen bezüglich des Sorgens sowie die Vermeidungstheorie des Sorgens integriert.

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Identification and Utility of a Short Form of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-Youth Self-Report (PSC-17-Y)

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000486 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 56-64

Author(s):

Paul Bergmann ◽

Cara Lucke ◽

Theresa Nguyen ◽

Michael Jellinek ◽

John Michael Murphy

Keyword(s):

Psychosocial Functioning ◽

Short Form ◽

Parent Report ◽

Self Report ◽

Symptom Checklist ◽

Factor Analyses ◽

Youth Self Report ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽

Pediatric Symptom Checklist ◽

Exploratory Factor Analyses

Abstract. The Pediatric Symptom Checklist-Youth self-report (PSC-Y) is a 35-item measure of adolescent psychosocial functioning that uses the same items as the original parent report version of the PSC. Since a briefer (17-item) version of the parent PSC has been validated, this paper explored whether a subset of items could be used to create a brief form of the PSC-Y. Data were collected on more than 19,000 youth who completed the PSC-Y online as a self-screen offered by Mental Health America. Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) were first conducted to identify and evaluate candidate solutions and their factor structures. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were then conducted to determine how well the data fit the candidate models. Tests of measurement invariance across gender were conducted on the selected solution. The EFAs and CFAs suggested that a three-factor short form with 17 items is a viable and most parsimonious solution and met criteria for scalar invariance across gender. Since the 17 items used on the parent PSC short form were close to the best fit found for any subsets of items on the PSC-Y, the same items used on the parent PSC-17 are recommended for the PSC-Y short form.

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