Worries, stop-rules and problem-solving confidence in a sample of university students

Abstract

Aims: The mood-as-input hypothesis has been found to be successful in predicting worry and peoples’ perceived ability to solve problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between stop-rules, worries, intolerance of uncertainty and problem-solving. Method: Two-hundred and thirty-one university students, 172 females and 57 males, answered the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Problem-Solving Confidence sub-scale, the Worry Stop-Rules Questionnaire, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, The Worry Behaviour Inventory, the Intolerance of Uncertainty scale and the Dysfunctional Attitudes scale in class or online. Age ranged between 20 and 56 years. Results: There was a significant correlational relationship between the participants’ scores on all the questionnaires used in the study. Those with higher level of worry scored significantly higher on all questionnaires. The “As many as can” stop-rule added a unique variance in hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis predicting scores of pathological worry. Mediation analysis found both stop-rules and problem-solving confidence to mediate intolerance of uncertainty and worry. Conclusion: Low problem-solving confidence and the mood-as-input hypothesis significantly contribute to the understanding of Generalized Anxiety Disorder but needs further research.