<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<italic>Introduction:</italic>This study aims at examining the direct and indirect mediating role of the intolerance of uncertainty (IU) variable in the relationship between COVID-19-induced OCS and depression in a Turkish adolescent sample.
<bold><italic>Methods:</italic></bold> The sample consists of 427 people (248 females, 179 males) between the ages of 14-18, living in Turkey and selected by convenient sampling method. The data were collected through the COVID-19 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Scale, Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale (DASS-21) and Intolerance of Uncertainty Index-A for Children (IUI-A-C).
<italic>Results:</italic> The findings show that COVID-19-induced OCS have strong predictive effects on depression symptoms. The findings also revealed that IU directly and indirectly mediates the relationship between COVID-19 OCD and depression symptoms, as well as its negative predictive effect for depression symptoms.
<italic>Discussion: </italic>It can be said that OCS caused by COVID-19 trigger depressive symptoms in adolescents. In addition, it can be thought that IU, with its mediator effect, may play a triggering role in the emergence of COVID-induced OCS. Another research finding is that IU may be an important transdiagnostic construct for depressive symptoms.
<italic>Limitations: </italic>The current study has also some limitations. First, the study was carried out as a cross-sectional study. The fact that the sample group is non-clinical and a clinical group is not included can be considered as second delimitation. Third, the current study just used scales to evaluate the students’ self-report. At this point, a different perspective can be developed by taking the opinions of the parents.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic> The results show that COVID-19-induced OCS increase depressive symptoms in Turkish adolescents and IU has a mediating effect in this relationship. In addition, the results provide important data for the treatment of mental symptoms related to the pandemic.
</abstract>

Introduction:This study aims at examining the direct and indirect mediating role of the intolerance of uncertainty (IU) variable in the relationship between COVID-19-induced OCS and depression in a Turkish adolescent sample.
Methods: The sample consists of 427 people (248 females, 179 males) between the ages of 14-18, living in Turkey and selected by convenient sampling method. The data were collected through the COVID-19 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Scale, Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale (DASS-21) and Intolerance of Uncertainty Index-A for Children (IUI-A-C).
Results: The findings show that COVID-19-induced OCS have strong predictive effects on depression symptoms. The findings also revealed that IU directly and indirectly mediates the relationship between COVID-19 OCD and depression symptoms, as well as its negative predictive effect for depression symptoms.
Discussion: It can be said that OCS caused by COVID-19 trigger depressive symptoms in adolescents. In addition, it can be thought that IU, with its mediator effect, may play a triggering role in the emergence of COVID-induced OCS. Another research finding is that IU may be an important transdiagnostic construct for depressive symptoms.
Limitations: The current study has also some limitations. First, the study was carried out as a cross-sectional study. The fact that the sample group is non-clinical and a clinical group is not included can be considered as second delimitation. Third, the current study just used scales to evaluate the students’ self-report. At this point, a different perspective can be developed by taking the opinions of the parents.
Conclusions: The results show that COVID-19-induced OCS increase depressive symptoms in Turkish adolescents and IU has a mediating effect in this relationship. In addition, the results provide important data for the treatment of mental symptoms related to the pandemic.

Investigating the Relationships between Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) and Depression Symptoms and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Turkish Adolescents during Covid-19

Acta Educationis Generalis

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Introduction:This study aims at examining the direct and indirect mediating role of the intolerance of uncertainty (IU) variable in the relationship between...

Investigating the Relationships between Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) and Depression Symptoms and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Turkish Adolescents during Covid-19

Published Online: Nov 15, 2023

Page range: 98 - 114

Received: Apr 04, 2023

Accepted: May 25, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/atd-2023-0024

Keywords
intolerance of uncertainty (IU), adolescent, COVID-19, OCS, depression, mediation

© 2023 Mustafa Kerim Şimşek, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Investigating the Relationships between Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) and Depression Symptoms and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Turkish Adolescents during Covid-19

Published Online: Nov 15, 2023

Page range: 98 - 114

Received: Apr 04, 2023

Accepted: May 25, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/atd-2023-0024

Keywordsintolerance of uncertainty (IU), adolescent, COVID-19, OCS, depression, mediation

© 2023 Mustafa Kerim Şimşek, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
intolerance of uncertainty (IU), adolescent, COVID-19, OCS, depression, mediation