Those people MOST likely to develop stress disorders are:

Those people MOST likely to develop stress disorders are:

• A. Intolerant of uncertainty and think they cannot control negative things that happen to them
• B. Tolerant of uncertainty and think they can control negative things that happen to them
• C. Tolerant of uncertainty and think they cannot control negative things that happen to them
• D. Intolerant of uncertainty and think they can control negative things that happen to them

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that vulnerability to stress disorders comes from two cognitive factors: low tolerance for ambiguity (uncomfort with uncertainty) and a sense of powerlessness (belief that negative events can’t be controlled). When someone both hates uncertainty and feels they can’t influence what happens, they experience greater perceived threat and helplessness in the face of stress. That combination amplifies and prolongs the stress response, increasing the likelihood of developing a stress-related disorder after a traumatic or ongoing stressor. If a person is comfortable with uncertainty, they’re less likely to interpret unknowns as catastrophic, which reduces anxious reactivity. And if someone believes they can influence outcomes, they maintain a sense of agency, which supports coping rather than surrendering to distress. So the combination described—intolerance of uncertainty with perceived (or actual) lack of control—best explains who is most at risk.

The main idea here is that vulnerability to stress disorders comes from two cognitive factors: low tolerance for ambiguity (uncomfort with uncertainty) and a sense of powerlessness (belief that negative events can’t be controlled). When someone both hates uncertainty and feels they can’t influence what happens, they experience greater perceived threat and helplessness in the face of stress. That combination amplifies and prolongs the stress response, increasing the likelihood of developing a stress-related disorder after a traumatic or ongoing stressor.

If a person is comfortable with uncertainty, they’re less likely to interpret unknowns as catastrophic, which reduces anxious reactivity. And if someone believes they can influence outcomes, they maintain a sense of agency, which supports coping rather than surrendering to distress. So the combination described—intolerance of uncertainty with perceived (or actual) lack of control—best explains who is most at risk.