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Background: Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a well-established risk factor for anxiety disorders, as higher levels of IU increase the likelihood of future maladaptive outcomes. However, the presence of low levels of IU does not imply that maladaptive outcomes will not occur, as other risk factors can still lead to the onset of anxiety symptoms. Currently, it is unknown whether IU also serves as a necessary cause for anxiety symptoms, meaning that its absence would ensure the absence of these symptoms.
Methods: A sample of 186 adolescents (58.6 % boys) between 14 and 18 years of age (M = 16.58 ± 1.01) was followed for six months, with evaluations every three months. Several self-reports were administered to measure IU and general anxiety problems, derived from the Youth Self Report 11-18, and anxiety-specific symptoms, derived from the Self-Administered Psychiatric Scales for Children and Adolescents. The Necessary Condition Analysis approach was applied to determine the extent to which IU is a necessary condition for anxiety.
Findings: The analyses revealed that IU is a necessary condition for anxiety problems (d =.23 -.24), generalized anxiety disorder symptoms (d =.18 -.19), social anxiety disorder symptoms (d =.19 -.29), and school-related anxiety symptoms (d =.19 -.23) after three and six months. However, IU was not a statistically significant necessary condition for separation anxiety disorder symptoms. At baseline, between 29 % and 70 % of the sample exhibited the necessary levels of IU to potentially experience subclinical anxiety symptoms at subsequent follow-ups.
Discussion: IU is a necessary condition for the potential development of anxiety symptoms during adolescence. Recognizing necessary conditions for anxiety symptoms and mental disorders, in general, could lead to substantial progress, given its impact on enhancing our theoretical understanding and improving prevention strategies and clinical treatments.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2025.102999 | DOI Listing |
Scand J Psychol
September 2025
Faculty of Psychology, University of Akureyri, Akureyri, Iceland.
Living under the threat of natural disasters affects mental health. Natural disasters that are more likely to occur in a specific season represent a special case that is becoming more frequent with the consequences of climate change. Therefore, they deserve special attention regarding their potentially seasonal mental health implications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAust N Z J Psychiatry
September 2025
Department of Psychological Medicine, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Objective: Art therapy offers a predominantly non-verbal form of creative self-expression for people experiencing mental health issues. This systematic review aims to investigate the effectiveness and acceptability of art therapy for children and adolescents experiencing acute or severe mental health conditions.
Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, five electronic databases were searched (Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, PsychINFO, CINAHL) using the search terms ('art therap*' OR 'art psychotherap*') AND ('child*' OR 'adolescen*' OR 'youth' OR 'young' OR 'teen*').
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw
September 2025
School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
This study examined the interplay between anxiety, depression, rumination, and problematic internet use (PIU) among 24,470 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 14.37 years; 51.60 percent male), with particular attention to socioeconomic status (SES) variations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuropsychopharmacol Rep
September 2025
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Background: Although opioid analgesics may influence sleep in patients with chronic pain, the association between strong opioid use and sleep characteristics remains unclear. This study aimed to explore differences in sleep status among chronic pain patients with varying levels of opioid use.
Methods: A total of 29 patients with chronic non-cancer pain who had been under treatment for more than 6 months were included.
BJPsych Open
September 2025
Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK.
Background: Some psychotic experiences in the general population show associations with higher schizophrenia and other mental health-related polygenic risk scores (PRSs), but studies have not usually included interviewer-rated positive, negative and disorganised dimensions, which show distinct associations in clinical samples.
Aims: To investigate associations of these psychotic experience dimensions primarily with schizophrenia PRS and, secondarily, with other relevant PRSs.
Method: Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort participants were assessed for positive, negative and disorganised psychotic experience dimensions from interviews, and for self-rated negative symptoms, at 24 years of age.