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Please join us for our first Judy Slee student seminar. In memory of Dr Judy Slee - supporting the next generation of researchers. Learn more about Dr Slee and her legacy at this seminar.

Presentation 1: Intolerance of uncertainty and emotion regulation: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Presenter: Aseel Sahib is a PhD Candidate in SMP. Aseel's PhD examines the role that emotion dysregulation plays in the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and emotional difficulties (i.e., anxiety and depression).

Abstract: Intolerance of uncertainty, a transdiagnostic factor manifested across emotional disorders, has been shown to be associated with emotional distress. Theoretical frameworks of intolerance of uncertainty have consistently proposed that individuals with intolerance of uncertainty experience emotional distress, which are also associated with difficulties in regulating emotions. However, no synthesis of evidence has been provided. This meta-analysis addressed this gap by examining the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and emotion regulation. PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest were systematically searched for relevant articles published up to and including November 2022. We combined 161 effect sizes from 91 studies (N = 30,239. We found a moderate positive relationship between maladaptive emotion regulation, and a moderate inverse relationship between adaptive emotion regulation and intolerance of uncertainty. Analysing respectively the magnitude of maladaptive and adaptive strategies revealed that cognitive avoidance was the maladaptive strategy whereas mindfulness was the adaptive strategy that had the largest effect size and thus strongest relationships with intolerance of uncertainty. These findings have implications for future intolerance of uncertainty interventions, with emotion regulation as a potential target of change.

Presentation 2: Are we teaching climate change in a clinically relevant way?  

Presenter:  Atul Sharma is a fourth year medical student who completed the Advanced Research Project Stream in the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery program, where this research began under the primary supervision of Lillian Smyth. He completed a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) – Science in 2019 at the ANU.

Abstract: In this presentation Atul will report his findings on a Narrative Systematic Review, the first of its kind, that examines climate change learning outcomes in medical curricula with a focus on biomechanisms. The findings demonstrate that the literature contains significant gaps, with entire specialties and topics aligned with emerging evidence notably absent. Authorship analysis showed a need for greater engagement with non-western and climate vulnerable medical educators. An understanding of the current state of this literature allows us to adapt the education to better prepare graduates for clinical practice in a world increasingly vulnerable to climate-related issues.