Intolerance of uncertainty as a predictor of psychological distress among emerging adults experiencing a quarter-life crisis
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: During the transition to adulthood, the various challenges and changes faced often trigger individuals to This study aimed to examine the association between intolerance of uncertainty and psychological distress among emerging adults experiencing a quarter-life crisis. The transition to adulthood involves various challenges and changes that may precipitate a period of crisis and contribute to psychological distress. This study employed a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. Participants were 255 emerging adults who met the screening criteria for a quarter-life crisis based on the DCQ-12. Data were collected using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 (IUS-12) and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), both of which have been validated for use in the Indonesian population. The data were analyzed using simple linear regression. The results revealed a significant positive association between intolerance of uncertainty and psychological distress (β = .336, R² = .113, p < .001). This finding indicates that higher levels of intolerance of uncertainty were associated with greater psychological distress among the participants. The regression model explained 11.3% of the variance in psychological distress, while the remaining variance was associated with factors not included in the model. These findings highlight the importance of considering intolerance of uncertainty in developing preventive strategies and psychological interventions for emerging adults navigating the challenges of the transition to adulthood. However, given the cross-sectional design, the findings do not establish a causal relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and psychological distress.
Institution: Universitas Negeri Surabaya
Language: English
Topic: Student Stress and Coping
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7224843460