The Gender-Based Relationship among Reassurance-Seeking Behavior, Perceived Threat/Responsibility and Intolerance of Uncertainty among Adults in Pakistan

Abstract

The present study examined the gender difference between between perceived threat/responsibility, reassurance-seeking behavior, as well as intolerance of uncertainty among adults. Grounded in cognitive-behavioral theory, the study proposed that inflated responsibility beliefs and threat appraisals contribute to excessive reassurance-seeking behavior, and that intolerance of uncertainty strengthens this relationship. A cross-sectional correlational research design was used, and data were collected from a sample of 300 adults (18-30) using a convenient sampling technique. Standardized self-report measures were administered to assess perceived threat/responsibility, intolerance of uncertainty, and reassurance-seeking behavior. Results indicate significant differences based on gender. The study contributes to a better understanding of cognitive mechanisms underlying reassurance seeking behavior and suggests important implications for cognitive-behavioral interventions targeting anxiety-related processes in adults.