Just to be certain: Confirming the factor structure of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is a cognitive construct in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); yet no studies exist confirming the factor structure of the most widely used measure of IU, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS), in OCD patients. Moreover, no studies have examined how scores on this measure relate to OCD symptom dimensions. Accordingly, the present study examined a 12-item two-factor revised version of the IUS (IUS-12) in 205 OCD patients. Confirmatory factor analysis verified the scale's two-factor structure. The measure also demonstrated high internal consistency and the IUS-12 was correlated moderately with another self-report measure of IU. Finally, theoretically consistent and specific relationships emerged between the IUS-12 and OCD symptom dimensions. These findings are discussed in terms of implications for the assessment and treatment of OCD, and specifically how elevated scores on the IUS-12 subscales may be utilized to identify subtleties in the presentation of OCD-related problems with IU.