Uncertainty tolerance measurement tools. Adaptation of n. Carleton’s «intolerance of uncertainty scale» (short version)
Abstract
The attitude towards uncertainty and ambiguity is studied with the use of various questionnaires because the understanding of the construct, and structure of (in)tolerance to uncertainty varies. Today, there is no single test used in the transdiagnostic model of affective disorders researches which has been translated to Ukrainian. To fill this gap, the translation and adaptation of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12) were conducted in the Ukrainian sample. Methods: 226 university students filled IUS-12, MSTAT-1, depression, and anxiety measures. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to analyze the factor structure, and compare two- and bi-factor models of IUS-12. The convergent, and divergent validity of the test was checked by correlation analysis. Results indicated that the IUS-12 bi-factor model provides the best fit to the empirical data. Internal consistency (α-Cronbach's coefficient) was good (=0.81). Convergent validity is confirmed by correlations with situational and trait anxiety, and depression both for the overall score of the IUS-12 test and for subscales. N. Carleton's «Intolerance to Uncertainty» test is inversely correlated to the results of D. McLain's «General Tolerance to Uncertainty» questionnaire (MSTAT-1), which confirms the divergent validity. The use of the test on a sample of militaries (n = 137) confirmed the reliability and reproducibility of the results in similar studies. Limitations: the data was collected on students, and it is necessary to conduct additional research to check the data on the clinical sample; future research should examine the retest reliability. Conclusion: the Ukrainian adaptation of the IUS-12 short version is reliable, shows adequate evidence of validity, and corresponds to the bifactor structure. This is the first of the most popular modern tests to measure the intolerance of uncertainty level, which has passed the procedure of translation into Ukrainian and further adaptation and meets all psychometric requirements. The test can be used for further tolerance/intolerance of uncertainty research, to study the related constructs and cross-cultural specifics of attitude towards uncertainty, which is a particularly important task in a long-term pandemic
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