“I’M REALLY NOT SURE”: A MODEL OF HOW UNCERTAINTY CONSTRUCTS PREDICT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND WELL-BEING

Master of Science (Psychology) candidate: Amber Myatt

25 August 2026

1:30 PM Atlantic

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/211757640498388?p=P9mez3CRiNzKIFYqgO
Meeting ID: 211 757 640 498 388
Passcode: AS97B5if

Thesis Committee:

Drs. Diane Holmberg & Kathryn Bell, Supervisors
Dr. Jennifer Theiss, Rutgers Univ., External Examiner
Dr. Cara MacInnis, Internal Examiner
Dr. Beverly McKee, Chair of the defence

Abstract

It has been said that the only guarantees in life are death and taxes; we argue that uncertainty should be added to that list. Previous research has established that relationship uncertainty (RU), general life uncertainty (GLU), and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) are all associated with worse relationship outcomes. However, no studies to date have investigated these constructs together, nor how they may relate to one another. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether relationship conflict may explain any observed associations between RU and/or GLU and relationship well-being, as well as whether IU may moderate these mediations, or any of the individual pathways within our model. We also compared mixed-sex and same-sex/gender-diverse relationships to examine any differences in how these variables relate based on relationship type. We recruited 258 English-speaking individuals in romantic relationships to complete an online survey. Results suggested that RU may be more proximally associated with relationship outcomes, whereas GLU may play a more contextual role. Relationship conflict was found to partially explain the association between RU and relationship well-being when GLU was moderate to high. Surprisingly, while higher RU was associated with worse relationship well-being overall, decreases in well-being were larger for those low in IU than those high in IU. Same-sex/gender-diverse and mixed-sex relationships were far more similar than different in their relationship dynamics. We discuss findings within the context of the literature and suggest that clinical interventions targeting IU and the accuracy of perceptions of uncertainty may improve relationship outcomes. We call for future research examining the effectiveness of these interventions in helping couples experiencing uncertainty.

About Amber…

Amber Myatt is a master's student in Psychology at Acadia University, supervised by Dr. Kathryn Bell and Dr. Diane Holmberg. Originally from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Amber previously completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology at Dalhousie University. Her research examines how different forms of uncertainty influence relationship functioning and well-being. Alongside her research, she has completed clinical training in pediatric psychology and psychoeducational assessment. In the fall, Amber will begin the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program at Memorial University of Newfoundland.