Unpredictability and Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

The following study examined how unpredictability experiences and unpredictability beliefs relate to symptoms of anxiety and depression. College students (N = 181, 74% female; 71% White, 12% Black, and 17% representing other ethnic identities) participated by completing surveys. Overall, hypotheses were supported in that childhood family unpredictability correlated with unpredictability beliefs and with anxiety and depression scores, and unpredictability beliefs correlated with both anxiety and depression. Furthermore, using structural equation modeling, we verified that unpredictability beliefs mediated the relationship between childhood family unpredictability and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Implications are discussed that pertain to researchers and practitioners who specialize in anxiety, depression, and parenting difficulties.