The Moderating Role of Psychological Flexibility in the Relationship Between Ambiguity Intolerance and Depressive Symptoms in Female Students

Abstract

This study aimed to examine whether psychological flexibility moderates the relationship between intolerance of ambiguity and depressive symptoms in female undergraduate students. This cross-sectional correlational study included 500 female students aged 18–24 selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Intolerance of Ambiguity Scale, the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis were applied to test the hypothesized relationships. Intolerance of ambiguity and psychological inflexibility showed significant positive relationships with depressive symptoms, while psychological flexibility demonstrated a significant negative relationship. The structural model indicated that the predictors collectively explained 60% of the variance in depressive symptoms. Multi-group analysis revealed that psychological flexibility moderated the link between ambiguity intolerance and depression, with a strong positive association in the low-flexibility group and a reversed association in the high-flexibility group. Psychological flexibility serves as a protective factor that reduces the adverse emotional impact of intolerance of ambiguity on depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening psychological flexibility in preventive and therapeutic interventions for university students.