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Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - Short Form

IUS-12
psychologyhealth sciencesLicensed — permission required

A 12-item short form measuring prospective anxiety about uncertainty and uncertainty-related behavioral inhibition.

Items
12
Response format
5-point Likert scale
Version
Original 12-item short form
Subscales
2

Ready-to-cite methods sentence

Intolerance of uncertainty was measured with the 12-item IUS-12 (Carleton et al., 2007), which yielded a reliable total score (α = .91) and Prospective and Inhibitory Anxiety subscales (α = .85 each) in the original validation sample.

Reliability & validation

Validation population
Large undergraduate validation sample (Carleton et al., 2007)
Cronbach's α
0.85–0.91

Subscales

Prospective AnxietyInhibitory Anxiety

Known limitations

The relative fit and interpretation of one- versus two-factor models remains debated. The IUS-12 measures a transdiagnostic disposition and is not a diagnostic screener. Confirm reproduction terms before administration.

Original citation

Carleton, R. N., Norton, P. J., Asmundson, G. J. G. (2007). Fearing the unknown: A short version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(1), 105-117.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.03.014

This instrument is licensed. Obtain permission from the copyright holder before using it in your study.

Questions researchers ask

What does the IUS-12 measure?

A 12-item short form measuring prospective anxiety about uncertainty and uncertainty-related behavioral inhibition.

How many items does the IUS-12 have?

The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - Short Form (IUS-12) has 12 items across 2 subscales: Prospective Anxiety, Inhibitory Anxiety.

Is the IUS-12 free to use?

The IUS-12 is licensed. You must obtain permission from the copyright holder before using it in a study — Folio does not distribute its item wording without that permission.

Is the IUS-12 reliable?

Validation studies report Cronbach's α of 0.85–0.91. See the reliability section for the population studied and full statistics.

Who developed the IUS-12, and how do I cite it?

Carleton, R. N., Norton, P. J., Asmundson, G. J. G. (2007). Fearing the unknown: A short version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(1), 105-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.03.014

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Library entry verified August 2026. Metadata is provided for reference; item wording is available inside Folio Surveyor, subject to each instrument's licensing.