A test of the four-factor model of impulsivity-related traits

Emotionally Up and Down, Behaviorally To and Fro: Drinking Motives Mediate the Synergistic Effects of Urgency and Emotional Instability on Alcohol Outcomes

Emotional and behavioral regulation has been linked to coping and enhancement motives and associated with different patterns of alcohol use and problems. The current studies examined emotional instability, urgency, and internal drinking motives as predictors of alcohol dependence symptoms as well as the likelihood and severity of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5th editionAlcohol Use Disorder (AUD). In Study 1, college drinkers (n = 621) completed alcohol involvement and behavioral/emotional functioning assessments. There was an indirect association between emotional instability and dependence symptoms via both coping and enhancement drinking motives which was potentiated by trait urgency. In Study 2, college drinkers (n = 510) completed alcohol involvement, behavioral/emotional functioning, and AUD criteria assessments. A significant indirect effect from emotional instability to the likelihood of meeting AUD criteria, via drinking to cope was found, again potentiated by urgency.

The Nomological Network of Self-Reported Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance (DT), or the ability to withstand psychological distress, is a popular construct in the psychological literature. However, research has not specified the nomological network of DT across self-report measures. The purpose of the current investigation was to understand what personality features, environmental stressors, current affective states, and behaviors contribute to DT in two different samples: college students and those in residential substance use treatment. Correlations revealed that self-reported DT was most strongly associated with trait negative emotionality, state negative affect, impulsivity, and perceived stress. In comparisons across samples, self-harm exhibited a stronger relationship with self-reported DT in the drug treatment than in the student sample, whereas perceived stress had a stronger association in the student sample. Correlations between self-report and behavioral measures of DT were nonsignificant. To understand this lack of associations, associations of outcomes with behavioral measures were assessed. In contrast to self-reported DT, behavioral DT was more closely related to achievement orientation, state negative affect, and state positive affect, but was not significantly related to psychopathology and maladaptive behaviors. It is necessary to continue investigating the construct validity of behavioral DT measures via the use of incremental utility analyses and experimental approaches.

Psychometric properties of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale in patients with gambling disorders, hypersexuality, and methamphetamine dependence

Although the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS; Patton, Stanford, & Barratt, 1995) is a widely-used self-report measure of impulsivity, there have been numerous questions about the invariance of the factor structure across clinical populations (Haden & Shiva, 2008, 2009; Ireland & Archer, 2008). The goal of this article is to examine the factor structure of the BIS among a sample consisting of three populations exhibiting addictive behaviors and impulsivity: pathological gamblers, hypersexual patients, and individuals seeking treatment for methamphetamine dependence to determine if modification to the existing factors might improve the psychometric properties of the BIS. The current study found that the factor structure of the BIS does not replicate in this sample and instead produces a 12-item three-factor solution consisting of motor-impulsiveness (5 items), non-planning impulsiveness (3 items), and immediacy impulsiveness (4 items). The clinical utility of the BIS in this population is questionable. The authors suggest future studies to investigate comparisons with this modified version of the BIS and other impulsivity scales such as the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale in clinical populations when assessing disposition toward rash action.

The role of impulsivity traits and delayed reward discounting in dysregulated eating and drinking among heavy drinkers

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct that has been linked to dysregulated eating and problematic alcohol use. The UPPS model identifies five personality-based impulsivity traits that have unique predictive utility: Negative Urgency, Perseverance, Premeditation, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency. Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is an index of impulsive decision making characterized by preference for smaller immediate gains at the cost of larger delayed gains. In the current study, we sought to refine the influence of impulsive personality traits and DRD on disordered eating patterns and problematic drinking. One hundred and eight treatment-seeking heavy drinkers were assessed for UPPS impulsivity traits, DRD, disordered eating, alcohol use, and demographic information. With regard to disordered eating patterns, DRD predicted higher levels of Dietary Restraint and Weight and Shape Concerns. Negative Urgency predicted binge eating and Weight and Shape Concerns. Positive Urgency predicted Eating Concerns. Female sex predicted Eating, Weight, and Shape Concerns. When considering problematic alcohol use, only Negative Urgency and Sensation Seeking were predictive. This is the first study to examine both personality-based impulsivity and DRD in relation to pathological eating and drinking behavior. The results suggest the importance of disentangling the contributions of various impulsivity constructs on dysregulated eating.

Impulsivity and substance use in young adulthood

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Although the significant role of impulsive personality on substance use has been widely documented, distinct aspects of impulsivity and their relation to substance use during young adulthood have received scant attention. We sought to fill this research gap and explored impulsivity subtraits in relation to hazardous drinking and illicit substance use in young adulthood.

METHODS

The present study used cross-sectional survey data collected from a community sample of 257 young adults aged 18-25 (53% female). Data were primarily analyzed by three different types of regression models.

RESULTS

We found impulsivity to be more strongly associated with illicit substance use than hazardous drinking during young adulthood. Among the four impulsivity subtraits examined, lack of premeditation (p < .01) and sensation seeking (p < .05) were significantly related to illicit substance use in young adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE

These findings suggest that each impulsivity subtrait might play different roles in illicit substance use during young adulthood. For young adults, assessment of differential patterns of impulsive personality in individuals with substance use problems may have important implication for treatment strategies.

Examining the role of negative urgency in a predictive model of bulimic symptoms

The etiological dual pathway model of bulimia nervosa suggests that dietary restraint and negative affect are significant predictors of this disorder. Negative urgency, or the tendency to act rashly in response to negative emotionality, is also associated with bulimia nervosa; however, no study has examined the role of negative urgency within the context of the dual pathway model. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between bulimic symptomatology and negative urgency in the context of dietary restraint and depressive affect. Participants (N=166) were college women recruited from a private mid-western university through an online participant registry. A self-report battery assessed depressive affect, dietary restraint, negative urgency, and bulimic symptoms. Participants' height and weight were measured in-person to determine body mass index. A significant main effect of negative urgency was found after controlling for depressive affect and dietary restraint. The interaction between depressive affect and negative urgency to predict bulimic symptoms approached significance; however, no statistically significant interaction between dietary restraint and negative urgency was observed. These results provide support for the inclusion of negative urgency as a significant factor in etiological frameworks of bulimia nervosa.

Hazardous alcohol use and intimate partner aggression among dating couples: the role of impulse control difficulties

To date, research identifying moderators of the alcohol-intimate partner aggression (IPA) relationship has focused almost exclusively on male-perpetrated aggression, without accounting for the dyadic processes of IPA. The current study examined hazardous alcohol use and impulse control difficulties as predictors of IPA among a sample of 73 heterosexual dating couples. Both actor and partner effects of these risk factors on physical and psychological aggression were examined. Results indicated that impulse control difficulties were an important actor and partner predictor of both physical and psychological aggression. Findings supported the multiple threshold model such that the interaction between impulse control difficulties and hazardous alcohol use significantly predicted physical aggression severity. These results suggest the importance of targeting impulse control difficulties and hazardous alcohol use in IPA treatment, as well as the advantages of examining risk factors of IPA within a dyadic rather than individual framework.

The Relationships between Functional and Dysfunctional Impulsivity and Aggression across Different Samples

E. S. Barratt proposed the term impulsive aggression to define a kind of aggression that is characterized by acting without thinking because of high levels of impulsivity. Previous research using psychometric measures has shown that impulsivity and aggression are related as far as psychometric measures are concerned. Nevertheless, most of the research has been done with samples of university students. Our research tests whether this relationship is stable across different samples; university students, teenagers and workers. Our results show that impulsivity and aggression have a consistent pattern of relationships across these samples, with impulsivity being specially related to emotional and instrumental aspects of aggression. Furthermore, the effects of anger on aggression seem to show a pattern of relationship that depends on age, with a tendency to physical aggression in young people and verbal aggression in adults.

A profile approach to impulsivity in bipolar disorder: the key role of strong emotions

OBJECTIVE

Bipolar disorder has been associated with elevated impulsivity - a complex construct subsuming multiple facets. We aimed to compare specific facets of impulsivity in bipolar disorder, including those related to key psychological correlates of the illness: reward sensitivity and strong emotion.

METHOD

Ninety-one individuals diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (inter-episode period) and 80 controls completed several well-validated impulsivity measures, including those relevant to reward (Fun-seeking subscale of the Behavioral Activation System scale) and emotion (Positive Urgency and Negative Urgency scales).

RESULTS

Bipolar participants reported higher impulsivity scores than did controls on all of the impulsivity measures, except the Fun-seeking subscale of the Behavioral Activation System scale. Positive Urgency - a measure assessing the tendency to act impulsively when experiencing strong positive emotion - yielded the largest group differences: F(1,170) = 78.69, P < 0.001, partial η(2)  = 0.316. Positive Urgency was also associated with poorer psychosocial functioning in the bipolar group: ΔR(2)  = 0.24, b = -0.45, P < 0.001.

CONCLUSION

Individuals with bipolar I disorder appear to be at particular risk of behaving impulsively when experiencing strong positive emotions. Findings provide an important first step toward developing a more refined understanding of impulsivity in bipolar disorder with the potential to inform targeted interventions.

Outcome probability versus magnitude: when waiting benefits one at the cost of the other

Using a continuous impulsivity and risk platform (CIRP) that was constructed using a video game engine, choice was assessed under conditions in which waiting produced a continuously increasing probability of an outcome with a continuously decreasing magnitude (Experiment 1) or a continuously increasing magnitude of an outcome with a continuously decreasing probability (Experiment 2). Performance in both experiments reflected a greater desire for a higher probability even though the corresponding wait times produced substantive decreases in overall performance. These tendencies are considered to principally reflect hyperbolic discounting of probability, power discounting of magnitude, and the mathematical consequences of different response rates. Behavior in the CIRP is compared and contrasted with that in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART).

The role of constraint in the development of nicotine, marijuana, and alcohol dependence in young adulthood

The personality-related construct of behavioral disinhibition is hypothesized to confer a generalized risk for alcohol and drug dependence. On average, rates of substance use and scores on measures of disinhibition peak in adolescence and decline as people mature into adulthood. The present study investigated this developmental change by evaluating the relationship between disinhibition and substance use disorders using a longitudinal study of 2,608 twins assessed at ages 17, 24, and 29. These ages include the period of highest risk for substance use disorders (ages 17-24) as well as when substance dependence symptoms typically decline (ages 24-29). Disinhibition was measured with the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire higher-order scale of Constraint, as well as its constituent facet scales of Harm Avoidance, Control, and Traditionalism. Constraint's relationship with substance dependence was statistically significant but small and largely genetic, with the genetic relationship declining from adolescence into adulthood. However, this result appeared to be almost entirely driven by Traditionalism, a propensity to hold traditional moral and social values, and not an obvious component of behavioral disinhibition. The results suggest that personality measures of Control and Harm Avoidance play only a small role in the development of substance dependence during late adolescence, and previous findings linking personality measures of disinhibition and substance use may be driven significantly by social and moral values than deficits in impulse control.

Impulsivity, expectancies, and evaluations of expected outcomes as predictors of alcohol use and related problems

BACKGROUND

While the association between outcome expectancies and drinking is well documented, few studies have examined whether evaluations of expected outcomes (outcome evaluations) moderate that association.

OBJECTIVES

The present study tested the hypotheses that outcome evaluations moderate the outcome expectancy-drinking association and that outcome expectancies mediate the association between impulsive personality and drinking.

METHODS

College students (N = 201; 55.5% female) enrolled in a mid-sized metropolitan university completed measures assessing outcome expectancies and evaluations, alcohol consumption, and drinking-related problems.

RESULTS

Consistent with study hypotheses, expectation of negative outcomes predicted lower levels of drinking, but only when these outcomes were evaluated as highly aversive. However, impulsivity was found to be a far stronger predictor of both drinking and related problems than were outcome expectancies or evaluations.

CONCLUSION

The association between negative expectancy and drinking was moderated by negative evaluation, such that individuals who both expected that negative outcomes were likely to occur and who judged such outcomes as highly undesirable consumed significantly fewer drinks per week. Impulsivity was found to be a strong predictor of both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems.

How inhibition relates to impulsivity after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury

Impulsive behaviors and poor inhibition performances are frequently described in patients with traumatic brain injury(TBI). However, few studies have examined impulsivity and associated inhibition impairments in these patients.Twenty-eight patients with moderate to severe TBI and 27 matched controls performed a stop-signal task designed to assess prepotent response inhibition (the ability to inhibit a dominant or automatic motor response) in a neutral or emotional context and a recent negative task to assess resistance to proactive interference (the ability to resist the intrusion into memory of information that was previously relevant but has since become irrelevant). Informants of each patient completed a short questionnaire designed to assess impulsivity. Patients showed a significant increase in current urgency,lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance when retrospectively compared with the preinjury condition. Group comparisons revealed poorer prepotent response inhibition and resistance to proactive interference performances inpatients with TBI. Finally, correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between urgency (the tendency to act rashly when distressed) and prepotent response inhibition in patients with TBI. This study sheds new light on the construct of impulsivity after a TBI, its related cognitive mechanisms, and its potential role in problematic behaviors described after a TBI.

The moderating role of negative urgency on the prospective association between dietary restraint and binge eating

It is well documented that negative urgency, a personality trait characterized by a tendency to act impulsively in the face of negative emotions, and dietary restraint independently increase risk to binge eat; however, it is unclear how these factors interact to alter risk for such behavior. It may be that individuals high on negative urgency, who also engage in dietary restraint, are at a greater risk to binge eat than individuals low on negative urgency. Accordingly, we sought to investigate whether negative urgency moderated the prospective association between dietary restraint and binge eating frequency among a sample of college women. We hypothesized that women who engaged in dietary restraint would report higher binge eating frequencies across the first semester of college and that this effect would be strengthened among individuals higher on negative urgency. Results indicated that negative urgency moderated the prospective association between dietary restraint and binge eating frequency. This effect was found to be "protective but reactive," such that low levels of dietary restraint protected against binge eating frequency at low to moderate levels of negative urgency, but this buffering effect was lost at high levels of negative urgency where binge eating frequency was equal across all levels of dietary restraint. These findings demonstrate that negative urgency and dietary restraint interact to differentially alter risk for binge eating frequency, and individuals high on negative urgency are at the greatest risk to engage in more frequent binge eating regardless of level of dietary restraint.

The influence of anger, impulsivity, sensation seeking and driver attitudes on risky driving behaviour among post-graduate university students in Durban, South Africa

INTRODUCTION

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) constitute a serious global health risk, and evidence suggests that young drivers are significantly overrepresented among those injured or killed in RTAs. This study explores the role of anger, impulsivity, sensation seeking and driver attitudes as correlates for risky driving practices among drivers, drawing comparisons between age and gender.

METHOD

The study used a cross-sectional survey design, with a sample of 306 post-graduate university students from two universities in Durban, South Africa, who completed the self-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

The results indicate that drivers with higher driver anger, sensation seeking, urgency, and with a lack of premeditation and perseverance in daily activities were statistically more likely to report riskier driving acts. Males reported significantly more acts of risky driving behaviour (RDB) than females. Driver attitudes significantly predicted self-reported acts of RDB on most indicators. Older drivers (25 years and older) had safer driver attitudes and a lower sense of sensation seeking and urgency in life.

CONCLUSION

Interventions targeting young drivers, which focus on impeding the manifestation of anger, impulsivity and sensation seeking are recommended. Also, the empirical support for the attitude-behaviour hypothesis evidenced in this study vindicates the development or continuation of interventions that focus on this dynamic.

The five-factor model of impulsivity-like traits and emotional lability in aggressive behavior

Factors that increase automatic psychological processes may result in impulsive action and, consequently, aggressive behavior. The current cross-sectional study examined the association between the five-factor model of impulsivity-like traits (negative urgency, positive urgency, premeditation, perseverance, and sensation seeking), emotional lability, and physically aggressive behaviors among college students (n = 481) in a negative binomial hurdle model. In the logistic portion of the model, emotional lability was related to a higher likelihood of engaging in aggressive acts in the past 6 months. The association between emotional lability and the likelihood of aggressive behavior was moderated by two impulsivity-like traits: negative urgency and positive urgency. Specifically, emotional lability was related to engaging in aggressive acts among those with high negative urgency, and among those with low positive urgency. In the count portion of the model, emotional lability was uniquely related to the number of aggressive acts in the past 6 months. Our results indicate that emotional lability and facets of impulsivity interactively relate to engagement in aggressive behavior, suggesting that these variables be integrated into models of aggression.

Multidimensionality in impulsivity and alcohol use: a meta-analysis using the UPPS model of impulsivity

BACKGROUND

Although there is considerable support for the relationship between impulsivity and alcohol use, the use of multidimensional conceptualizations of impulsivity and alcohol use has lead to varying relationship sizes across studies. The aims of the current meta-analysis are to (i) examine variability in the magnitude of the bivariate relationship between impulsivity and alcohol use across studies and (ii) describe the pattern of effects between specific impulsivity traits and alcohol use variables, using the UPPS model of impulsivity.

METHODS

Ninety-six studies were meta-analyzed using a random effects model to examine the relationship between general impulsivity and alcohol use, as well as the relationships among separate impulsivity traits based in the UPPS model of impulsivity and specific alcohol use outcomes.

RESULTS

Results indicate that, in general, impulsivity and alcohol use are related (r = 0.28); however, this effect size varied significantly across studies (from -0.05 to 1.02). Drinking quantity was most strongly predicted by lack of perseverance (r = 0.32), whereas all traits equally predicted drinking frequency. Drinking problems were most highly related to negative (r = 0.35) and positive (r = 0.34) urgency, and alcohol dependence was most highly related to negative urgency (r = 0.38) and lack of planning (r = 0.37).

CONCLUSIONS

Effect sizes between impulsivity and alcohol use vary significantly by UPPS trait used in each study; thus, findings suggest and further reinforce the view in the literature that specific impulsivity-related constructs differentially relate to specific alcohol use outcomes.

Four factors of impulsivity differentiate antisocial and borderline personality disorders

Impulsivity is a shared criterion for the diagnosis of antisocial and borderline personality disorders, and this link may account for the high comorbidity rates between the two disorders. The current study aimed to differentiate between borderline and antisocial personality disorders using the four factors of impulsivity identified by Whiteside and Lynam (2001). Five hundred thirty-six undergraduate participants completed the personality assessment inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) to assess borderline and antisocial personality features and the NEO personality inventory, third edition (NEO-PI-3; McCrae & Costa, 2010) to assess the four factors of impulsivity. Results indicate that negative urgency and lack of perseverance were significantly and uniquely related to borderline features, while sensation seeking and lack of premeditation were significantly and uniquely related to antisocial features. The implications of these results for improved differential diagnosis are discussed.

Neurobehavioural correlates of body mass index and eating behaviours in adults: a systematic review

The worldwide increase in obesity has spurred numerous efforts to understand the regulation of eating behaviours and underlying brain mechanisms. These mechanisms can affordably be studied via neurobehavioural measures. Here, we systematically review these efforts, evaluating neurocognitive tests and personality questionnaires based on: (a) consistent relationship with obesity and eating behaviour, and (b) reliability. We also considered the measures' potential to shed light on the brain mechanisms underlying these individual differences. Sixty-six neurocognitive tasks were examined. Less than 11%, mainly measures of executive functions and food motivation, yielded both replicated and reliable effects. Several different personality questionnaires were consistently related to BMI. However, further analysis found that many of these questionnaires relate closely to Conscientiousness, Extraversion and Neuroticism within the Five-Factor Model of personality. Both neurocognitive tests and personality questionnaires suggest that the critical neural systems related to individual differences in obesity are lateral prefrontal structures underpinning self-control and striatal regions implicated in food motivation. This review can guide selection of the highest yield neurobehavioural measures for future studies.

Impulsivity and sexual assault in college men

Although impulsivity has been consistently linked to perpetration of sexual aggression, results lack clarity because they do not account for the substantial heterogeneity associated with the construct. The UPPS-P model (Lynam, Smith, Whiteside, & Cyders, 2006), which was proposed to clarify the multidimensional nature of impulsivity, has yet to be applied to sexual aggression. We measured UPPS-P Impulsivity in a sample of male college students who also self-reported on perpetration of sexual aggression. As predicted, impulsivity distinguished perpetrators from nonperpetrators. Perpetrators scored higher than non-perpetrators on Negative Urgency, Positive Urgency, and lack of Premeditation. Results suggest that the impulsivity traits most relevant to sexual aggression are the tendency to act impulsively when experiencing intense emotions (Positive and Negative Urgency) and lack of forethought and planning (lack of Premeditation).

Associations between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom domains and DSM-IV lifetime substance dependence

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Most studies of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the substance dependence literature have assessed ADHD as a single, categorical entity. This approach limits characterization across the spectrum of ADHD symptomatology and may mask differences across the two core domains of ADHD symptoms-hyperactive-impulsive (HI) and inattention (IN). Further, it is unclear whether relations of HI and IN symptoms to substance dependence extend across drug classes and to the general population.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study investigated associations of lifetime ADHD HI and IN symptom levels to individual classes of lifetime substance dependence (alcohol, nicotine, depressants, opioids, stimulants, cannabis, hallucinogens, polysubstance) in a population-based sample of 34,653 American adults.

RESULTS

HI and IN were associated with the majority of dependence diagnoses in a linear pattern, such that each additional symptom was associated with a proportional increase in odds of dependence. After adjusting for the overlap between symptom domains, both HI and IN uniquely associated with alcohol, nicotine, and polysubstance dependence, but only HI uniquely associated with dependence on illicit substances.

CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

These findings suggest that individuals in the general population with elevated levels of ADHD (particularly HI) symptoms are at risk for various forms of substance dependence and could benefit from preventive interventions.

UPPS Dimensions of Impulsivity

Although cognitive distortions are widely acknowledged in the explanation of impulsivity-related psychopathologies (and more recently in the explanation of specific impulsive behaviors), no study has systematically verified whether they can also explain the cognitive processes underlying these impulsivity traits of personality: urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking (UPPS). Moreover, childhood maltreatment has been frequently associated with both cognitive distortions and impulsive behaviors but never with UPPS traits. A study was conducted on undergraduate students to examine the influence of cognitive distortions and childhood maltreatment on four dimensions of impulsivity from the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Regression analyses revealed that Premature Processing, a term applied to a group of seven cognitive distortions such as emotional reasoning and confusing needs and wants, as well as childhood maltreatment, was able to predict significantly and independently the Negative Urgency dimension of impulsivity, above and beyond gender and the three other subscales of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Coherent with Beck’s cognitive model, these results suggest that the Negative Urgency trait is associated with cognitive distortions that can undermine thought processes in a variety of ways, increasing the likelihood of acting rashly. However, more studies are needed to develop instruments and identify specific forms of cognitive distortions associated with impulsivity traits.

Impulsivity, intelligence, and discriminating reinforcement contingencies in a fixed-ratio 3 schedule

Research conducted in academic contexts suggests a moderating effect of impulsive behavior on the relationship between aptitude and achievement. According to these studies, intelligence scores being equal, higher levels of impulsivity have an adverse effect on achievement (Helmers, Young, & Pihl, 1995; Vigil-Colet & Morales-Vives, 2005; Zeidner, 1995). The present study aims to contrast the aforementioned moderator effect in the context of a discriminant learning task, carried out under a fixed-ratio 3 reinforcement schedule. To that end, an impulsive behavioral pattern was identified in a sample of 1,600 participants' task execution based on response rate and latency. Said pattern was consistent and stable across several trials and can be ascribed to subjects' interactive style (Hernández, 2000). The observed interaction effect supports the hypothesis that impulsivity has a moderating effect on the aptitude-achievement relationship, highlighting how it impacts achievement differentially depending on the subject's level of aptitude.

Clinical profiles as a function of level and type of impulsivity in a sample group of at-risk and pathological gamblers seeking treatment

Level and type of impulsivity are essential variables to be taken into consideration during the initial evaluation of a pathological gambler. The aim of this study was to measure the score for 4 impulsivity-related traits (Urgency, (lack of) Premeditation, (lack of) Perseverance and Sensation seeking) in a sample group of at-risk and pathological gamblers, and to highlight any links with certain elements of clinical data. The UPPS Impulsive Behaviour Scale was administered to 84 problem gamblers seeking treatment. The severity of gambling disorders was evaluated using the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-IV. Psychiatric and addictive comorbidities were also explored. The results indicated that the score for the Urgency facet had a positive correlation with the severity of gambling disorders. It appeared that participants displayed different clinical profiles according to the level and type of impulsivity. Several of the UPPS scales were identified as risk factors for mood disorders, risk of suicide, alcohol use disorders, and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The results confirm both the complexity of the multi-dimensional concept of impulsivity and the reason why the UPPS is of interest for a more in-depth study of the subject.

Associations between dispositions to rash action and internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children

Impulsivity is not a unitary construct; instead, dispositions to rash action can be divided into five moderately-correlated dimensions. However, the associations between these dimensions and symptoms of psychopathology among youth remain unclear. The goal of this study was to examine associations between different dispositions to rash action and psychopathology in a community sample of middle school youth. One hundred forty-four youth (M age = 11.9; 65% Hispanic, 30% African American; 50% male; 81% qualifying for free school lunches) participated in this study. Self-reported questionnaire measures of dispositions to rash action (lack of planning, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, negative urgency, and positive urgency) and psychopathology symptoms (conduct disorder [CD], alcohol use, depression, overall anxiety, panic, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and separation anxiety, as well as teacher reports of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] inattentive and hyperactive symptoms) were used. Negative and positive urgency were positively associated with all symptom types examined except certain anxiety subtypes (and positive urgency was not associated with ADHD symptoms). Lack of planning was positively associated with externalizing and depressive symptoms. Lack of perseverance was positively associated with CD. Sensation seeking was positively associated with both CD and alcohol use. When other dispositions were adjusted for, negative urgency remained a positive predictor of CD, whereas positive urgency remained a positive predictor of depressive and panic symptoms. Sensation seeking was negatively associated with separation anxiety. Psychopathology symptoms are differentially related to dispositions to rash action in children; emotion-based dispositions to rash action may be particularly important targets for future research.

Negative urgency, distress tolerance, and substance abuse among college students

OBJECTIVE

Negative affect has been consistently linked with substance use/problems in prior research. The present study sought to build upon these findings by exploring how an individual's characteristic responding to negative affect impacts substance abuse risk. Trait negative affect was examined in relation to substance abuse outcomes along with two variables tapping into response to negative affect: distress tolerance, an individual's perceived ability to tolerate negative affect, and negative urgency, the tendency to act rashly while experiencing distress.

METHOD

Participants were 525 first-year college students (48.1% male, 81.1% Caucasian), who completed self-report measures assessing personality traits and alcohol-related problems, and a structured interview assessing past and current substance use. Relations were tested using zero-inflated negative binomial regression models, and each of the personality variables was tested in a model on its own, and in a model where all three traits were accounted for.

RESULTS

Negative urgency emerged as the best predictor, relating to every one of the substance use outcome variables even when trait negative affect and distress tolerance were accounted for.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that negative urgency is an important factor to consider in developing prevention and intervention efforts aimed at reducing substance use and problems.

Investigation of impulsivity in a sample of treatment-seeking pathological gamblers: a multidimensional perspective

Numerous studies have shown that problem gambling is characterised by lack of impulse control. However, they have often been conducted without considering the multifaceted nature of impulsivity and related psychological mechanisms. The current study aims to disentangle which impulsivity facets are altered in pathological gambling. Twenty treatment-seeking pathological gamblers (PGs) and 20 matched control participants completed a self-reported questionnaire measuring the various facets of impulsive behaviours (UPPS Impulsive Behaviour Scale), as well as two laboratory tasks assessing inhibitory control (the go-stop task) and tolerance for delayed rewards (single key impulsivity paradigm). Compared with matched controls, PGs exhibited higher urgency, lower premeditation, impairment in prepotent inhibition, and lower tolerance towards delayed rewards. Nevertheless, complementary profile analyses showed that impulsivity-related deficits found in PGs are highly heterogeneous, and that some PGs are neither impulsive in the impulsivity facets assessed nor impaired in the cognitive mechanisms measured. These findings underscore (1) the necessity to disentangle the construct of impulsivity into lower-order components and (2) that further studies should take into account, in addition to impulsivity-related mechanisms, other psychological factors potentially involved in pathological gambling.

Differential changes in impulsivity and sensation seeking and the escalation of substance use from adolescence to early adulthood

Recent evidence suggests that impulsivity and sensation seeking are not stable risk factors for substance use among adolescents and early adults but rather that they undergo significant developmental maturation and change. Further, developmental trends of both personality facets may vary across individuals. In the current investigation, we used longitudinal data from ages 15 to 26 on 5,632 individuals drawn from the offspring generation of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine whether interindividual differences in intraindividual change in impulsivity and sensation seeking predicted the escalation of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use in adolescence and early adulthood. Latent growth curve models revealed significant individual differences in rates of change in both personality and substance use. Age-related changes in personality were positively associated with individual differences in substance-use change. Individuals who declined more slowly in impulsivity increased in alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette more rapidly, whereas individuals who declined more slowly in sensation seeking increased more rapidly in alcohol use only. Although risk for substance use across the population may peak during adolescence and early adulthood, this risk may be highest among those who decline more gradually in impulsivity.

Validation of a short French version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale

BACKGROUND

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct that has a prominent role in psychiatry. Lynam et al (2006) have developed the UPPS-P, a 59-item scale measuring 5 impulsivity components: negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. The aim of the present study was to validate a short, 20-item French version of the UPPS-P.

METHODS

Six hundred fifty participants filled out the short French UPPS-P. A subgroup of participants (n = 145) took part in a follow-up study and completed the scale twice to determine test-retest stability; another subgroup (n = 105) was screened with other questionnaires also to establish external validity.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analyses supported a hierarchical model comprising 2 higher order factors of urgency (resulting from negative urgency and positive urgency) and lack of conscientiousness (resulting from lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance) as well as a separate factor of sensation seeking. The results indicated good internal consistency and test-retest stability. External validity was supported by relationships with psychopathological symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The short French version of the UPPS-P therefore presents good psychometric properties and may be considered a promising instrument for both research and clinical practice.

Drinking motives as mediators of the impulsivity-substance use relation: pathways for negative urgency, lack of premeditation, and sensation seeking

Trait impulsivity is a reliable, robust predictor of risky, problematic alcohol use. Mounting evidence supports a multidimensional model of impulsivity, whereby several distinct traits serve as personality pathways to rash action. Different impulsivity-related traits may predispose individuals to drink for different reasons (e.g., to enhance pleasure, to cope with distress) and these different motives may, in turn, influence drinking behavior. Previous findings support such a mediational model for two well-studied traits: sensation seeking and lack of premeditation. This study addresses other impulsivity-related traits, including negative urgency. College students (N=432) completed questionnaires assessing personality, drinking motives, and multiple indicators of problematic drinking. Negative urgency, sensation seeking, and lack of premeditation were all significantly related to problematic drinking. When drinking motives were included in the model, direct effects for sensation seeking and lack of premeditation remained significant, and indirect effects of sensation seeking and lack of premeditation on problematic drinking were observed through enhancement motives. A distinct pathway was observed for negative urgency. Negative urgency bore a significant total effect on problematic drinking through both coping and enhancement motives. This study highlights unique motivational pathways through which different impulsive traits may operate, suggesting that interventions aimed at preventing or reducing problematic drinking should be tailored to individuals' personalities. For instance, individuals high in negative urgency may benefit from learning healthier strategies for coping with distress.

Predictors of nonmedical use of prescription stimulants

College students across the U.S. engage in nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS) at increasing rates. While it has been found that use is frequently motivated by a belief that stimulants will act as a study aid, little is known about predictors of NMUPS. The present study addressed impulsivity, outcome expectancies, and evaluations of expected outcomes as predictors of NMUPS in a sample of 206 college students at a mid-Atlantic university. Approximately 26.1% of students endorsed past year NMUPS. Results indicated an increased likelihood of self-reported NMUPS was associated with increases in lack of premeditation, sensation seeking, positive expectancies and positive evaluations. Moreover, the extent to which participants believed that potential negative consequences were more severe was associated with a decreased likelihood of NMUPS. The current study suggests that impulsive personality, outcome expectancies, and evaluations of expected outcomes are important predictors of NMUPS among college students. Future research should consider other potential predictors of NMUPS in order to inform the development of prevention strategies.

Sleep-Wake State Tradeoffs, Impulsivity and Life History Theory

Evolutionary ecological theory predicts that sleep-wake state tradeoffs may be related to local environmental conditions and should therefore correlate to alterations in behavioral life history strategies. It was predicted that firefighters who slept more and reported better quality sleep on average would exhibit lower impulsivity inclinations related to slower life history trajectories. UPPS impulsivity scores and self-reported sleep averages were analyzed and indicated a negative association between sleep variables and urgency and a positive association with premeditation. Perseverance, and in some cases premeditation, however, disclosed an unpredicted marginally significant positive association between increased and emergency nighttime waking-related sleep deprivation. Sensation seeking was not associated with sleep variables, but was strongly associated with number of biological children. This research contributes to understanding the implications of human sleep across ecological and behavioral contexts and implies further research is necessary for constructing evolutionarily oriented measures of impulsivity inclination and its meaning in the context of life history strategies.

Relationship between impulsiveness and deviant behavior among adolescents in the classroom: age and sex differences

To assess the relationship between impulsiveness and deviant behavior among 103 adolescents, taking into account their sociodemographic characteristics, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and a self-assessment measure with regard to disruptive and deviant behaviors which had occurred in the last 90 days were used. The results show that impulsiveness and disruptive behavior in the classroom were related to deviant behavior outside of the classroom. Therefore, age and sex explained the relationship between impulsiveness and behavior. The older adolescents and the girls showed less disruptive behaviors than the younger participants and the boys; both variables showed an interactive effect on disruptive behavior. The age at which sexual activity commenced and the number of sexual partners were also significantly related to impulsiveness and disruptive and deviant behavior. Similarly, impulsiveness was shown to have a significant relationship with disruptive and deviant behavior, and disruptive behavior was shown to have a significant relationship with deviant behavior.

Impulsivity and the Sexes

Before it is possible to test whether men and women differ in impulsivity, it is necessary to evaluate whether impulsivity measures are invariant across sex. The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking, with added subscale of positive urgency) is one measure of five dispositions toward rash action that has shown to have robust and clinically useful relationships among risk-taking outcomes. In the current research, the author examined (a) the psychometric measurement invariance of the UPPS-P across sex, (b) the scale’s structural invariance across sex, and (c) whether the five impulsivity traits differentially relate to risk outcomes as a function of sex. In a sample of 1,372 undergraduates, the author found evidence for measurement and invariance across sex: Thus, comparisons of men and women on the UPPS-P can be considered valid. Additionally, although males tend to report higher levels of sensation seeking and positive urgency (and possibly lack of perseverance), the relationships between the UPPS-P traits and risk outcomes were generally invariant across sex. The UPPS-P appears to function comparably across males and females, and mean differences on this scale between the sexes can be thought to reflect trait-level differences.

Measurement of constructs using self-report and behavioral lab tasks: is there overlap in nomothetic span and construct representation for impulsivity?

There has been little empirical evidence examining the overlap in nomothetic span for self-report measures and construct representation for behavioral lab tasks in most psychological constructs. Using the personality trait of impulsivity as an example, the authors completed a meta-analysis of 27 published research studies examining the relationship between these methods. In general, although there is a statistically significant relationship between multidimensional self-report and lab task impulsivity (r = 0.097), practically, the relationship is small. Examining relationships among unidimensional impulsivity self-report and lab task conceptualizations indicated very little overlap in self-report and behavioral lab task constructs. Significant relationships were found between lack of perseverance and prepotent response inhibition (r = 0.099); between lack of planning and prepotent response inhibition (r = 0.106), delay response (r = 0.134), and distortions in elapsed time (r = 0.104); between negative urgency and prepotent response inhibition (r = 0.106); and between sensation seeking and delay response (r = 0.131). Researchers should take care to specify which particular unidimensional constructs are operationalized with not only impulsivity, but with all traits. If self-report and lab task conceptualizations measure disparate aspects of impulsivity, we, as a field, should not expect large conceptual overlap between these methods.

A Meta-Analysis of the Convergent Validity of Self-Control Measures

There is extraordinary diversity in how the construct of self-control is operationalized in research studies. We meta-analytically examined evidence of convergent validity among executive function, delay of gratification, and self- and informant-report questionnaire measures of self-control. Overall, measures demonstrated moderate convergence (r(random) = .27 [95% CI = .24, .30]; r(fixed) = .34 [.33, .35], k = 282 samples, N = 33,564 participants), although there was substantial heterogeneity in the observed correlations. Correlations within and across types of self-control measures were strongest for informant-report questionnaires and weakest for executive function tasks. Questionnaires assessing sensation seeking impulses could be distinguished from questionnaires assessing processes of impulse regulation. We conclude that self-control is a coherent but multidimensional construct best assessed using multiple methods.