We had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Kate Sweeny, a Professor of Psychology at UCR about her research, insight, and advice on navigating uncertain waiting periods.

1. Where did you get your undergraduate and graduate degrees?

I got my Bachelor’s degree from a small college called Furman University, and I got my Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Florida (Go Gators!).

2. What do you study and what made you decide on this line of research?

My primary line of research addresses a pair of seemingly simple questions: How do people feel when they’re waiting for uncertain news, and how should they cope with that stressful experience? I found my way to this research topic through a series of fortuitous events. In my senior year of college, I saw a great talk on “bracing for the worst” (becoming pessimistic at the moment of truth to prepare for bad news) by Dr. James Shepperd. James then became my Ph.D. mentor, and we worked together for 6 years on questions related to expectations, uncertainty, and giving and receiving bad news. These topics came together to inspire my current line of research shortly after I arrived at UCR in 2008.

3. What makes waiting for uncertain news so stressful? Can the experience of uncertainty be positive?

Waiting for uncertain news is stressful because it combines two difficult psychological states: not knowing what’s coming (uncertainty) and not being able to do much of anything about it (loss of control). Either of these states is stressful, and together they’re particularly challenging. Uncertainty usually prompts worry and anxiety, so much so that people would often rather get bad news than remain in limbo. The fact that people can’t control their future during the waiting periods I study serves to exacerbate anxiety.

 

[Image Description: A carton hourglass with a cartoon man trapped inside. Each time the hourglass rotates, the man breaks apart, drips through the small space between the two champers and reforms, only to start the whole process over again.]

Pictured: The feeling we get when we realize we just have to wait because we can't control uncertainty or time

 

Having said that, uncertainty can be pleasurable at times—namely, times when all of the potential outcomes are good. Who sent me that bouquet of flowers? What is my husband going to get me for my birthday? That kind of uncertainty can create a sense of eager anticipation rather than stress and worry.

4. What contexts of uncertainty have you studied and what has it taught you about the waiting period? If any, what differences have you found in the types of waiting periods people might endure during their academic careers?

In our lab, we’ve studied many kinds of waiting periods: law school graduates waiting for bar exam results, students waiting for assignment grades, researchers waiting for decisions on manuscripts, patients waiting for biopsy results, and voters waiting for election results (and more). Although these waiting periods differ in many ways, our research seems to suggest that all waiting periods (except those exclusively positive waiting periods like the ones I mentioned earlier) are challenging, and people struggle to cope with even the less-serious types of uncertainty we’ve studied.

[Image Description: David Rose, from Schitt's Creek, tips his head back, classes his eyes, and waves his hands dramatically as he says, "I'm feeling very apprehensive about the whole thing."]

Pictured: How we all feel when waiting for uncertain news

 

5. What coping strategies do you suggest for people who are navigating a personal uncertain waiting period and as we collectively wait to see how the COVID-19 pandemic will play out?

For the past few years, my lab has been hard at work looking for effective ways of coping with uncertainty. We’ve found that mindfulness practice can be helpful, as can thinking positively about the future and seeking experiences of awe. However, we’re particularly excited about the effectiveness of flow for minimizing the stress of uncertainty. Flow is a state of total absorption in a pleasant but challenging activity—essentially, being “in the zone.” Flow helps the time pass more quickly, and it gets you out of your head (and thus away from where your worries live!). We even have recent data suggesting that flow makes self-isolation a bit more tolerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

6. Most waiting periods end with either good news or bad news. How do you suggest people prepare for either outcome?

I have three pieces of advice for preparing for bad news (preparing for good news is unsurprisingly much easier!). First, consider whether there’s anything you could do to better prepare yourself for the news, both emotionally and logistically. For example, if you’re worried that you’ll lose your job in an upcoming round of layoffs, you could spruce up your resume or start looking around at job websites. You could also gather your social support network (even if it has to be a virtual gathering these days) to make sure you have the support you need if the worst happens.

[Image Description: Laurie Hernandez takes a deep breath and mouths to her self: I got this.]

Pictured: You got this

 

Second, consider whether there might be a silver lining in the bad news you fear. Maybe a layoff would provide you a much-needed opportunity to pursue a new career. Maybe having a period of unemployment will allow you to spend more time with your children. You don’t have to ignore the potential negative consequences, but reframing bad news as potentially good can be reassuring in the moment and helpful if the bad news ultimately comes to pass.

Finally, it can be helpful to brace yourself for the worst, particularly as the news gets closer (at the moment of truth, if you’re lucky enough to see the news coming). By expecting the worst, bad news doesn’t feel quite as bad, and good news feels even better.

7. Do you have any final throughs or tips you would like to share with graduate students?

If you find yourself struggling emotionally during the uncertainty of COVID-19, you’re not alone. Uncertainty is challenging by its very nature, and we’re facing far more uncertainty than usual right now.