(PS8-D89) A Cross-cultural Examination of Optimism as a Protective Factor Against Intolerance of Uncertainty

Intolerance of uncertainty plays a significant role in the development and maintenance of both anxiety and depressive disorders (Rosser, 2018).  However, little is known about the resilience forces that help to reduce intolerance of uncertainty.  Therefore, identifying protective factors against intolerance of uncertainty is an important endeavor.  Optimism is a construct related to the amount individuals expect positive outcomes in their future, and is generally found to be an important resilience factor (Carver et al., 2010).

Previous work has found optimism may be associated with decreased intolerance of uncertainty (Hay et al., 2021; Pepperdine et al., 2018).  Yet little attention has been paid to the cross-cultural differences that may exist within the relationship between the two variables.  The present study will examine if optimism has a meaningful influence on intolerance of uncertainty across a large, diverse sample, and if the relationship is similar within four distinct racial/ethnic groups (Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and White).

            Participants for this study were 2209 undergraduate students (11.8% Black, 22.5% White, 32.6% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 33.1% Hispanic/Latinx) at a large Southwestern university.  Optimism was measured using the Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R; Scheier et al., 1994).  Intolerance of uncertainty was measured using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 (IUS-12; Carleton et al., 2007).  The relationship between the two variables was explored using regression analyses.  Additional analyses were conducted using a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. 

Preliminary regression analyses found across the four groups optimism does have a meaningful influence on intolerance of uncertainty, β = -.41, 95% CI [-1.04, -0.82], R² = .16.  Separate regression models showed this was also the case within the Asian/Pacific Islander group (β = -.33, 95% CI [-1.04, -0.68], R² = .11), the Black group (β = -.36, 95% CI [-1.06, -0.54], R² = .13), the Hispanic/Latinx group (β = -.41, 95% CI [-1.18, -0.85], R² = .17), and the White group (β = -.49, 95% CI [-1.22, -0.89], R² = .24).  Additional SEM analyses were used to further explore these relationships while accounting for measurement error.

These results indicate optimism has a meaningful influence on intolerance of uncertainty within and across the four distinct racial/ethnic groups evaluated in this study, and additional analyses aim to illuminate the similarity of this relationship between each of the four groups.  The negative association between the two variables supports the hypothesis that optimism is a protective factor against intolerance of uncertainty.  Clinically, these findings suggest methods that increase optimism may in turn reduce risk for developing or maintaining anxiety or depressive disorders by decreasing intolerance of uncertainty.  The results of this study will also help to provide clinicians guidance regarding what racial/ethnic groups may benefit most from the enhancement of optimism.