Investigation of the relationship and predictiveness of uncertainty intolerance, mentalization, and health anxiety in relatives of cancer patients

This study aimed to examine the effects of mentalization and health anxiety on intolerance of uncertainty. In addition, the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, mentalization, and health anxiety and the differentiation of these variables in terms of sociodemographic variables were examined. Our study sample consists of 324 individuals, 180 women and 144 men, who have relatives with cancer patients. In line with the determined purpose, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale Short Form, Mentalization Scale, Health Anxiety Scale, and the personal information form prepared by the researcher were applied to the participants. In the personal information form, information about the participants' gender, employment status, educational status, degree of closeness to the cancer patient, and the type of cancer of the cancer patient they were close to. Intolerance of uncertainty, mentalization, and health anxiety were determined by independent t-test according to gender and employment status. It was examined with a one-way ANOVA test based on education level, degree of closeness to the cancer patient, and cancer type. As a result of the analyses, participants' intolerance of uncertainty scores differ significantly according to gender and cancer type; mentalization scores differ significantly according to gender and cancer type, and health anxiety scores differ significantly according to gender. The relationship between intolerance of uncertainty, mentalization, and health anxiety scores was examined with Pearson Correlation Analysis. As a result of the analyses, it was concluded that there were positive, statistically significant relationships between intolerance of uncertainty and mentalization, mentalization and health anxiety, and health anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty. In line with the purpose of the study, the effect of participants' mentalization and health anxiety scores on their intolerance of uncertainty scores was examined with Hierarchical Regression Analysis. As a result of the analyses, it was concluded that mentalization and health anxiety significantly predicted intolerance of uncertainty.