Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Group Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Intolerance of Uncertainty Versus Applied Relaxation

This study is for adults who find uncertainty very distressing, leading to anxiety and worry. This feeling is called 'intolerance of uncertainty' (IU) and can affect people with various mental health concerns like anxiety or depression. Researchers are testing a group talking therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Intolerance of Uncertainty (CBT-IU). This therapy aims to help people manage their feelings about uncertainty. They are comparing it with another group therapy called Applied Relaxation, which teaches relaxation techniques but doesn't focus on uncertainty. The study wants to find out if CBT-IU specifically helps reduce anxiety by changing how people react to uncertainty. Participants will attend 12 group sessions and complete questionnaires and computer tasks to see how they feel and how their thinking about uncertainty changes.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

Enrolment target

135

Start

21 Sep 2026

Estimated completion

30 Apr 2030

Mental Disorders Mood Disorders Anxiety Disorders Generalized Anxiety Disorder

What is this study about?

Many of us find uncertainty a bit uncomfortable, but for some people, it can become a major source of anxiety and worry. This strong dislike or fear of not knowing what will happen is called 'intolerance of uncertainty' (IU). It's a common issue that can be part of various mental health conditions, including general anxiety, social anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This research study is looking at a specific type of group talking therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Intolerance of Uncertainty (CBT-IU). This therapy has shown promise in helping people manage their anxiety by directly addressing their difficulties with uncertainty. The study wants to understand exactly how CBT-IU works and if it changes how people react to uncertain situations. To do this, researchers will compare CBT-IU with another well-known group therapy called Applied Relaxation, which teaches people how to relax their bodies but doesn't focus on uncertainty itself.

Adults who experience significant anxiety and find uncertainty very difficult to cope with will be invited to take part. They will be randomly placed into one of the two group therapies, each lasting 12 sessions. To measure the effects, participants will complete questionnaires about their anxiety and feelings about uncertainty, and also do some special computer tasks. These tasks are designed to get a more detailed picture of how each person processes uncertainty, like a unique 'uncertainty fingerprint'. This will help researchers understand if CBT-IU offers a unique benefit by tackling uncertainty directly, and lead to more targeted treatments in the future.

Key takeaways

This study compares two group therapies for adults who find uncertainty very distressing.
It aims to see if CBT-IU helps reduce anxiety by specifically targeting feelings about uncertainty.
Participants will attend 12 weekly group sessions and complete assessments over approximately 6 months.
Special computer tasks will create an 'uncertainty fingerprint' to understand how individuals process uncertainty.
The study wants to find better, more targeted treatments for anxiety linked to intolerance of uncertainty.

Who may be eligible?

To be part of this study, you need to be an adult between 18 and 65 years old and live close enough to Cambridge to attend the sessions. You should be able to speak and understand English well, and have good eyesight (with or without glasses).

Key to joining is having significant feelings of anxiety and finding uncertainty very difficult to deal with. This will be checked using questionnaires. If you are taking medication for your mental health, you need to be on a stable dose for a while before and during the study. You also can't be receiving any other talking therapy or psychological treatment within three months before the study starts, or during the study itself.

There are certain situations that would mean you can't join the study. These include having a high risk of harming yourself, a current diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), issues with drug or alcohol use, experiencing acute psychosis (losing touch with reality), or having a history of serious head injury, learning disability, epilepsy, or severe memory/thinking problems.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 18 and 65 years old?
Do you live close enough to Cambridge to attend weekly sessions?
Do you experience significant anxiety and find uncertainty very difficult to handle?
Are you not currently in another talking therapy?
Do you not have a current diagnosis of OCD or a history of severe mental health issues like psychosis or substance abuse problems?
If on medication, is your dose stable and likely to remain so throughout the study?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, you will be assigned by chance to one of two group therapy programmes: either CBT-IU or Applied Relaxation. Both programmes involve 12 weekly group sessions. Each session will likely last around 1.5 to 2 hours.

Before you start therapy, you'll have an initial assessment, which includes filling out questionnaires and doing some computer-based tasks designed to understand how you deal with uncertainty. You'll repeat these questionnaires and computer tasks immediately after your 12 sessions of group therapy and again three months later. This helps the researchers see if and how your anxiety and feelings about uncertainty have changed over time. There are no specific medications involved in the study, but if you're already on medication, you'll need to remain on a stable dose throughout the study. The total time commitment for the study, including all assessments and follow-ups, will span approximately 6 months.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in this study might offer you some benefits, such as receiving free group therapy that could help you manage anxiety and your feelings about uncertainty. However, there's no guarantee that the therapy will work for everyone, and it might not help you personally. Taking part in therapy can sometimes bring up difficult emotions or require you to talk about uncomfortable experiences. While the researchers aim to make this study safe and supportive, like all research, there are always potential unknown risks. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care or relationship with your doctor.

Locations (1)

MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (MRC-CBU), University of Cambridge
Verified postcode
Cambridge, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is 'intolerance of uncertainty'?

It's when not knowing what might happen causes you a lot of distress, anxiety, and worry, often making it hard to cope with everyday situations.

What is CBT-IU?

It's a type of talking therapy given in a group setting that specifically helps people learn new ways to manage their strong negative feelings about uncertainty.

Will I have to pay to join the study?

No, all assessments and group therapy sessions provided as part of this study are free of charge for participants.

What happens if I don't get better?

While the aim is to help participants, there's no guarantee that the therapy will work for everyone. You can discuss any concerns with the study team or your GP.

Can I choose which therapy group I'm in?

No, participants are randomly assigned to either CBT-IU or Applied Relaxation to ensure a fair comparison between the two therapies.

How to find out more

Ido Shalev, PhD

is622@cam.ac.uk 07541030621 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.