Intolerance of Uncertainty, Self-Efficacy, Optimism & Emotions in Young Adults

Uncertainty clouds almost every single step that we take throughout our life. The mere act of taking a decision promises uncertainty, no matter how aware or unaware we are of it. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has thrown light on the fickle nature of certainty and made us more aware that the unknown dictates our lives more than we thought it did. Due to these reasons, human beings are vastly intolerant to uncertainty and try to make their environment as certain as possible. Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) has been a transdiagnostic feature in excessive worry as well as depressive disorders, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. The aim is to study Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU), Self-Efficacy, Optimism & Emotions in young adults. The study was conducted on 90 young adults (58.9% females) from the age range 19 to 25. Standardized tools were used to measure intolerance of uncertainty, self-efficacy, optimism, and emotions. The results indicated that IU holds a significant relationship with life orientation and negative affect. Although no significant relationship was found between IU and self-efficacy and positive affect. Uncertainty is a pervading phenomenon that dictates our life from the background. It is suggested that individuals may, instead of denying the idea of uncertainty, make peace and accept this existential truth to live a better and more fulfilling life.