Relationships between different components of intolerance of uncertainty and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a network analysis.

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are closely interrelated. This reliance on scale totals to measure symptom severity obscures the distinctions and connections between different symptoms. In the present study, we explored the relationships between different components of IU and symptoms of OCD.

METHODS

We recruited 1,616 participants and retained 1,529 pieces of valid data. Components of IU were measured by the Chinese version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-Short Form, and symptoms of OCD were measured by the Chinese version of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised. The present study employs network analysis to examine both core and bridging symptoms within the context of the IU and OCD networks.

RESULTS

In the overall network, the nodes with the highest expected influence (EI) were OCD3 ("I get upset if things don't work out"), IU6 ("I can't stand being taken by surprise"), and OCD6 ("It's hard for me to control my thoughts"). The nodes with the highest bridge expected influence (BEI) were OCD3 ("I get upset if things don't work out"), OCD9 ("I get upset when people change my plans"), and IU12 ("I must get away from all uncertain situations"). Within the IU community, the strongest edge was between IU1 ("Unforeseen events upset me greatly") and IU2 ("It frustrates me not having all the information I need"). Within the OCD community, the strongest edge was between OCD10 ("I force myself to repeat certain numbers") and OCD11 ("Sometimes, I force myself to bathe or wash myself because I feel dirty"). The strongest edge connecting the IU and OCD communities was between IU10 ("When I am uncertain I can't function very well") and OCD6 ("It's hard for me to control my thoughts"). No significant gender differences were found in the network structure.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed specific component-symptom patterns between different facets of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and various obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Understanding how distinct components of IU-an assumed risk factor-relate to specific OCD symptoms may inform targeted prevention and intervention strategies. For example, interventions aimed at OCD3, IU6, OCD9, and IU12 may effectively reduce the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among Chinese university students, enhance their ability to cope with uncertainty, and help disrupt the reciprocal influence between IU components and OCD symptoms.