Heterogeneous inhibition processes involved in different facets of self-reported impulsivity: evidence from a community sample

Pornography use, problematic pornography use, impulsivity, and sensation seeking: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

While some individuals engage in recreational pornography use (PU), others may develop an uncontrolled pattern of use termed problematic pornography use (PPU). PPU is characterized by persistent, excessive, or compulsive engagement with pornographic content, despite distress and adverse consequences. Impulsivity has been identified as a factor associated with PU and PPU.

AIM

The present meta-analysis aims to sum up the existing research on the relationship between impulsivity and PU/PPU and investigate whether age and gender could moderate this relationship.

METHODS

A keyword-based systematic literature search was performed to identify articles that assessed PU/PPU and impulsivity. Extracted correlations were converted into Fisher's Z. Meta-regression analyses were also performed. Publication bias was assessed by Egger's regression intercept.

OUTCOMES

Outcomes included general impulsivity and its dimensions (ie, negative and positive urgency, lack of premeditation and perseverance), sensation seeking, PU, and PPU.

RESULTS

Meta-analytic results of the random effects model showed a significant positive correlation between impulsivity as total score and PU (n = 1504, k = 4, Fisher's Z = 0.21, P < .001) and PPU (n = 20174, k = 13, Fisher's Z = 0.17, P < .001). Significant and positive associations were also found between sensation seeking and PU (n = 11707, k = 11, Fisher's Z = 0.14, P < .001) and PPU (n = 20152, k = 9, Fisher's Z = 0.06, P < .001). Concerning the relationship between PPU and different dimensions of impulsivity, almost all the associations were significant and positive. The dimension of positive urgency and attentional and nonplanning impulsivity showed the strongest association. Age (β = -0.50, Q = 101.26, df = 11, P < .001) and gender (female = 1; β = -0.46, Q = 102.54, df = 12, P < .001) moderated the association between general impulsivity and PPU. No risk of publication bias emerged.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Prevention programs of PPU should focus on impulsivity and certain key dimensions (eg, positive urgency, attentional and nonplanning impulsivity) and be tailored to individual impulsivity profiles, considering age and gender differences.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

The primary strength of this meta-analysis is that it considers various conceptualizations of impulsivity. However, the results are to be interpreted with caution since >30% of relevant studies had to be excluded because information could not be gathered from the study authors.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that general impulsivity is linked to PU and PPU and that specific dimensions of impulsivity (ie, attentional impulsivity, nonplanning impulsivity, and positive urgency) can serve as risk factors for PPU.

Negative and positive urgency as pathways in the intergenerational transmission of suicide risk in childhood

Introduction

Parental suicide attempts and suicide death increase suicide risk in their offspring. High levels of impulsivity have been observed in families at high risk for suicide. Impulsivity, a highly heritable trait that is especially elevated in childhood, is frequently measured with the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, which includes negative urgency, positive urgency, sensation seeking, premeditation, and perseverance. Our study examined the association between the UPPS-P facets and suicide ideation (without suicide attempts) and suicide attempts at baseline and first-time endorsement within the next two years in childhood. We also examined how the UPPS-P facets mediated the association between parental suicide attempts and suicide death and offspring first-time suicide ideation and attempts at follow-up.

Methods

The sample was 9,194 children (48.4% female; 9-10 years old) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, assessed yearly three times. At Time 1 (T1), caregivers reported on suicide attempts and suicide deaths (combined) of the biological parents. Caregivers and children reported on suicide ideation and attempts in the KSADS-PL DSM-5 at each time point, T1 and follow-up (T2 and/or T3). The Short UPPS-P Scale (child-report) assessed the impulsivity facets at T1, which were computed as latent variables.

Results

At T1, 6.7% of children had a parent who had attempted or died by suicide. Most UPPS-P facets were associated with suicide ideation and attempts at T1 and T2/T3. In adjusted models, parental suicide attempts and suicide death were associated with offspring negative and positive urgency. In mediation models, parental suicide attempts and suicide death had an indirect effect on offspring first-time suicide ideation at T2/T3 through negative urgency (OR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08) and positive urgency (OR = 1.03, 95% CI, 1.01-1.05). Similar results were found for first-time suicide attempts at T2/T3.

Discussion

Our findings support an impulsive pathway in the familial transmission of suicide risk. For all youth, interventions that target multiple UPPS-P facets may help prevent or reduce suicide risk. For offspring whose parents have attempted or died by suicide, clinicians should pay particular attention to children who impulsively act on extreme emotions, as they may be at higher suicide risk.

Psychometric Properties and Normative Data of the Spanish UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale in Adolescents

Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct linked to a broad spectrum of psychopathological and neuropsychological disorders. The UPPS-P model has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing impulsivity from a multi-dimensional perspective. Despite its relevance, few studies have examined the psychometric properties of the UPPS-P scale scores in a large, representative sample of adolescents. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish UPPS-P in adolescents and to establish normative data for this population in Spain. To this end, 9024 students aged 11-19 from 66 different Spanish high schools were included. The fit for the expected 5-factor model, assessed through confirmatory factor analysis, was inadequate (CFI and TLI ≤ .85, RMSEA = .063), but becomes satisfactory when employing the more flexible ESEM approach (CFI and TLI ≥ .94, RMSEA = .038), which was invariant across gender and age. Internal consistency reliability was satisfactory (ω = .83 to .94). Convergent validity with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11-A total score was good (r = .53 to .60). We provide population norms of the UPPS-P, which may help practitioners to interpret the UPPS-P scores of adolescents from the general population in Spain. Subsequent research should explore implications for both clinical and non-clinical settings.

Impulsivity, emotional disorders and cognitive distortions in the general population: highlighting general interaction profiles

Cognitive distortions, defined as erroneous information-processing, are involved in the emergence and maintenance of various mental and emotional disorders, including anxiety and depression. On the other hand, several studies highlight the existence of links between these states and the dimensions of impulsivity. We therefore studied the links between cognitive distortions, anxiety and depressive symptomatology, and impulsivity. Two hundred and forty adults (aged 18-60 years, 101 men, 139 women) completed the French version of the Impulsive Behavior Scale, the Cognitive Distortions Scale for Adults and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The results obtained highlight the existence of a cognitive distortion specific profile regarding the urgency dimension. Negative maximization, disqualification of the positive, negative-focused dichotomous reasoning, positive arbitrary focus, and neutral omission in favour of the negative are thus the distortions most associated with the level of urgency of subjects. The results also show, a moderating effect of the level of urgency on the interaction between anxiety and negative focused dichotomous reasoning. As well as on the interaction between depression and positive minimization, and between depression and positive maximization. The discussion of the results focuses on the interpretation of the data regarding the anxiety-depressive states in general population.

The Continuing Challenges of Studying Parallel Behaviours in Humans and Animal Models

The use of animal models continues to be essential for carrying out research into clinical phenomena, including addiction. However, the complexity of the clinical condition inevitably means that even the best animal models are inadequate, and this may go some way to account for the apparent failures of discoveries from animal models, including the identification of potential novel therapies, to translate to the clinic. We argue here that it is overambitious and misguided in the first place to attempt to model complex, multifacetted human disorders such as addiction in animals, and especially in rodents, and that all too frequently "validity" of such models is limited to superficial similarities, referred to as "face validity", that reflect quite different underlying phenomena and biological processes from the clinical situation. Instead, a more profitable approach is to identify (a) well-defined intermediate human behavioural phenotypes that reflect defined, limited aspects of, or contributors to, the human clinical disorder, and (b) to develop animal models that are homologous with those discrete human behavioural phenotypes in terms of psychological processes, and underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Examples of past and continuing weaknesses and suggestions for more limited approaches that may allow better homology between the test animal and human condition are made.

Distinct neurocognitive fingerprints reflect differential associations with risky and impulsive behavior in a neurotypical sample

Engagement in risky and impulsive behavior has long been associated with deficits in neurocognition. However, we have a limited understanding of how multiple subfunctions of neurocognition co-occur within individuals and which combinations of neurocognitive subfunctions are most relevant for risky and impulsive behavior. Using the neurotypical Nathan Kline Institute Rockland Sample (N = 673), we applied a Bayesian latent feature learning model-the Indian Buffet Process-to identify nuanced, individual-specific profiles of multiple neurocognitive subfunctions and examine their relationship to risky and impulsive behavior. All features were within a relatively normative range of neurocognition; however, there was subtle variability related to risky and impulsive behaviors. The relatively overall poorer neurocognition feature correlated with greater affective impulsivity and substance use patterns/problems. The poorer episodic memory and emotion feature correlated with greater trait externalizing and sensation-seeking. The poorer attention feature correlated with increased trait externalizing and negative urgency but decreased positive urgency and substance use. Finally, the average or mixed features negatively correlated with various risky and impulsive behaviors. Estimating nuanced patterns of co-occurring neurocognitive functions can inform our understanding of a continuum of risky and impulsive behaviors.

The impact of emotional stimuli on response inhibition in an inpatient and day-hospital patient psychosomatic cohort

Objectives

To correctly recognize and respond to your counterpart's emotion is essential for a successful get-together. To ensure this, emotional processes and inhibitory control are linked and interact with each other. However, this interaction can be altered in several mental disorders. In a group of psychosomatic patients, we investigated possible differences in the response inhibition between neutral and emotional stimuli and whether a psychosomatic inpatient and day-hospital patient treatment influences response inhibition profiles.

Methods

One hundred and one patients, diagnosed with different psychiatric diagnoses (77 women, 41.43 ± 13.13 years), completed an emotional stop-signal task (ESST) and an impulsive behavior scale upon admission in an inpatient and day-hospital patient treatment on a psychosomatic ward (T0) and at discharge (T1). Patients with depressive disorders completed the test again after 1 year (follow-up measurement T2, n = 22). Emotional stimuli were angry and neutral faces. Stop-signal reaction time (SSRT) and stop-signal delay (SSD) were calculated as the main behavioral parameters.

Results

We found a significantly higher SSRT for neutral than angry faces at both admission (8.538 ms, p < 0.001) and discharge (11.142 ms, p < 0.001), with a matching higher SSD for angry than neutral faces at both timepoints (T0: 8.360 ms, p < 0.001, T1: (6.950 ms, p < 0.001). The SSRT for angry faces significantly decreased after treatment (-8.485 ms, p = 0.0110). For neutral faces, the decrease failed to reach significance (-5.881 ms, p = 0.250). A significant decrease in SSRT for neutral faces in patients with depressive disorders was found 1 year after discharge compared with admission (-19.040 ms, p = 0.0380).

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate a decreased response inhibition for neutral compared with emotional stimuli and an improved response inhibition for angry faces after discharge in a psychosomatic inpatient and day-hospital patient cohort. Additionally, patients with depressive disorders displayed a significantly better response inhibition for neutral faces 1 year after discharge compared with the baseline measurement. With this study, we provide more evidence for altered emotional response inhibition in different mental disorders and a hint that psychosomatic inpatient and day-hospital patient treatment may help to normalize it, even if the effects remained small and it needs further research to prove causality.

Modeling urgency in the lab: Exploring the associations between self-reported urgency and behavioral responses to negative outcomes in laboratory gambling

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct that relates to different behaviors in everyday life and has been associated with many psychopathological disorders and behavioral problems, such as problematic gambling behavior. One questionnaire to measure these several facets on a trait level is the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. Specifically, the UPPS-P investigates five distinct facets: (a) negative urgency, (b) lack of premeditation, (c) lack of perseverance, (d) sensation seeking, and (e) positive urgency. Negative urgency at a trait level in particular seems to be associated with the development of psychopathological disorders. To date, there are no established state measures of negative urgency. However, it was recently proposed that speeding after losses might be a suitable measure. Thus, in this study, we explored the possible relationship between a state measure of negative urgency modeled through a behavioral gambling task and a trait measure of negative urgency through the UPPS-P questionnaire. We used correlational and network analyses in an aggregated database of eight samples (total N = 1216) to explore the potential relationships between post-loss speeding on the behavioral gambling task and UPPS-P scores (by combining trait vs. item-based analyses). We found that the degree of speeding after losses (post-loss speeding) did not correlate with the trait measure of impulsivity in general and negative urgency specifically, either at the latent trait level or on an item-based level. This null finding indicates that our state measure of post-loss speeding and negative urgency on a trait level does not seem to capture the same underlying constructs. Implications for personality research are discussed.

Turkish adaptation and validation of the Short-UPPS-P in adolescents and examination of different facets of impulsivity in adolescents with ADHD

The short form of the Impulsive Behavior scale (S-UPPS-P) is a widely used scale to measure multiple impulsive personality traits; although it has been translated into many languages, no Turkish translation has been studied to date. Our study had two aims. First, we tested the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the S-UPPS-P for adolescents. Second, we examined impulsive trait characteristics exhibited by adolescents with ADHD, compared to a community sample. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Turkish S-UPPS-P scale in 384 adolescents aged 11-18 and tested correlations with ADHD symptoms by assessing 41 adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. Our results showed that with a few slight modifications the Turkish translation of the S-UPPS-P scale can validly assess impulsive trait characteristics for Turkish adolescents. The subscales of lack of premeditation, positive urgency, and negative urgency efficiently distinguished between adolescents with ADHD and control subjects. This is the first scale to evaluate the multidimensional nature of impulsivity in Turkish adolescents. This scale is capable of screening various facets of impulsivity in typically developing adolescents as well as those with ADHD, enabling us to enhance our understanding of possible risks for comorbid diseases in the latter group.

Emotion-related impulsivity and risky decision-making: A systematic review and meta-regression

Emotion-related impulsivity, the trait-like tendency toward regrettable behavior during states of high emotion, is a robust predictor of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Despite substantial evidence that emotion-related impulsivity is important transdiagnostically, relatively little is known about its cognitive correlates. This systematic review and meta-regression investigates one such candidate, risky decision-making. We analyzed 195 effect sizes from 51 studies of 14,957 total participants, including 105 newly calculated effect sizes that were not reported in the original publications. The meta-regression demonstrated evidence for a small, positive relationship of emotion-related impulsivity with behavioral indices of risky decision-making (ß = 0.086). Effects generalized across sample age, gender, Positive versus Negative Urgency, and clinical versus nonclinical samples. The average effect size varied by task type, with stronger effects for the Iowa Gambling Task and Delay Discounting Task. Experimental arousal manipulation was nearly a significant moderator, with stress and pharmacological manipulations yielding significant effect sizes. Analyses indicated that publication bias did not skew the current findings. Notwithstanding limitations, the data suggest that risky decision-making is a cognitive domain that relates to emotion-related impulsivity. We conclude with recommendations regarding the specific types of tasks and arousal inductions that will best capture emotion-related impulsivity in future experimental research.

The Trait of Perseverance: A Literature Review and Future Research Directions

The concept of perseverance has always allured researchers because of its characterization as an elementary ingredient for success in personal and professional settings. However, past studies show that perseverance has been explored primarily in combination with other constructs, curtailing its development as a standalone concept. This article aims to identify distinct research streams associated with perseverance, reveal how the research associated with the concept has evolved, and identify some ideas and directions for future research. Using bibliometric analysis, the article identifies 3 distinct research streams and a contextual shift in literature over time. Also, emerging trends in the literature are identified through diachronic analysis. The future time perspective theory is suggested to further the research on perseverance.

When the UPPS-P Model of Impulsivity Meets a Revised Approach: The Development and Validation of the TRUE Multidimensional Impulsivity Scale

There is inconsistency in the measurement of impulsivity resulting from the diversity in its conceptualization. We aimed to develop a revised measure based on the Urgency, Premeditation (lack of), Perseverance (lack of), Sensation Seeking - Positive Urgency (UPPS-P) model (i.e., TRUE Multidimensional Impulsivity Scale; TRUE-MIS) considering the limitations and strengths of the existing measures. We conceptualized impulsivity as a personality trait referring to the inability to restrain one's urges without thinking about the future consequences in various contexts. A total of 535 adults (262 females, M = 34.1, SD = 12.7) participated in Study 1. Principal component analyses indicated a four-factor structure (internal urgency, social urgency, lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance) with satisfactory internal consistency and validity evidence by significant relations with self-control. Confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 confirmed the factor structure obtained in Study 1. Hierarchical linear regression analyses provided further validity evidence through establishing differential links between the subscales and Big Five personality traits, emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, and smartphone addiction in a sample of 556 adults (368 females, M = 24.0, SD = 7.4). Overall, TRUE-MIS is a valid and reliable measure of impulsivity addressing the arguments regarding the conceptual structure of the construct.

The impact of digital media on children's intelligence while controlling for genetic differences in cognition and socioeconomic background

Digital media defines modern childhood, but its cognitive effects are unclear and hotly debated. We believe that studies with genetic data could clarify causal claims and correct for the typically unaccounted role of genetic predispositions. Here, we estimated the impact of different types of screen time (watching, socializing, or gaming) on children’s intelligence while controlling for the confounding effects of genetic differences in cognition and socioeconomic status. We analyzed 9855 children from the USA who were part of the ABCD dataset with measures of intelligence at baseline (ages 9–10) and after two years. At baseline, time watching (r = − 0.12) and socializing (r = − 0.10) were negatively correlated with intelligence, while gaming did not correlate. After two years, gaming positively impacted intelligence (standardized β =  + 0.17), but socializing had no effect. This is consistent with cognitive benefits documented in experimental studies on video gaming. Unexpectedly, watching videos also benefited intelligence (standardized β =  + 0.12), contrary to prior research on the effect of watching TV. Although, in a posthoc analysis, this was not significant if parental education (instead of SES) was controlled for. Broadly, our results are in line with research on the malleability of cognitive abilities from environmental factors, such as cognitive training and the Flynn effect.

The Effects of Cognitive-Affective Switching With Unpredictable Cues in Adults and Adolescents and Their Relation to "Cool" Executive Functioning and Emotion Regulation

The impact of emotion on executive functioning is gaining interest. It has led to the differentiation of "cool" Executive Functioning (EF) processes, such as cognitive flexibility, and "hot" EF processes, such as affective flexibility. But how does affective flexibility, the ability to switch between cognitive and affective information, vary as a function of age and sex? How does this construct relate to "cool" executive functioning and cognitive-emotion regulation processes? In this study, 266 participants, including 91 adolescents (M = 16.08, SD = 1.42 years old) and 175 adults (M = 25.69, SD = 2.17 years old), completed a cognitive-affective switching task with specific (as opposed to general) unpredictable switches, as well as measures of inhibition, attention, and cognitive-emotion coping strategies. We expected cognitive to affective switching to be more costly than affective to cognitive switching in females versus males, as well as higher switch costs in adolescents. Using linear mixed modelling, we analysed the effect of age, sex, and types of switching on reaction time. Results show that adolescents are slower switchers than adults, and demonstrate that females, although faster switchers than males, are slower when switching from cognitive to affective content than when they are switching from affective to cognitive content. Multiple regression analyses revealed age-specific associations between cognitive-affective switching and inhibition. These results converge with reported developmental and gender specificities in EF and emotion processing, respectively. Additionally, affective flexibility could relate to differences in vigilance and inhibition.

Contributing roles of depression, anxiety, and impulsivity dimensions in eating behaviors styles in surgery candidates

BACKGROUND

Even if bariatric surgery is considered the most effective therapeutic approach, it is not equally successful among individuals suffering from severe obesity and candidates for this weight loss surgery. Among the factors that influence postsurgical outcomes, eating behaviors styles are known to play a key role in relapses. The aim of our study was to assess eating behaviors styles and several modulating psychopathological factors in patients suffering from severe obesity.

METHODS

Patients seeking bariatric surgery (N = 127) completed a set of standardized tools assessing eating behaviors (Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire), comorbid psychiatric conditions (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview), depression, and anxiety scores (Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and impulsivity scores (UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale).

RESULTS

We detected significant correlations between DEBQ Emotional Eating (EmoE) and depression, state and trait anxiety, and all dimensions of impulsivity. Significant correlations were also present between DEBQ External Eating (ExtE) and depression, state and trait anxiety and UPPS-P positive urgency, lack of perseverance and sensation seeking. Regression analyses identified sex (female), trait anxiety, and lack of perseverance as explanatory factors for EmoE, and depression severity score and positive urgency for ExtE.

CONCLUSIONS

EmoE might be a means of dealing with negative emotions and/or intrusive thoughts, while ExtE might result from a mechanism associated with depression. These results should help to improve patients' outcomes by defining specific therapeutic targets in psychological interventions. After bariatric surgery, some patients regain weight. This is likely due to various factors, including a return of maladaptive eating styles, such as emotional eating (which occurs as a response to negative emotions, like depression, anxiety, anger, sadness, and discouragement), external eating (which refers to the tendency to eat in response to positive external cues, regardless of internal signals of hunger and satiety), and restraint eating (implying to make efforts to develop and maintain strategies to control calories intake, associated with weight loss after lifestyle intervention). Our goal in this research project was to explore associated factors (particularly depression, anxiety, and impulsivity) to these eating styles in patients suffering from obesity prior to bariatric surgery. Individuals seeking bariatric surgery were asked questions about their eating styles and their levels of depression, anxiety, and impulsivity using standardized questionnaires. We found that emotional eating might be a means of dealing with negative emotions and/or intrusive thoughts (e.g. about food or body dissatisfaction), while external eating might result from a mechanism associated with depression. We detected no association between restraint eating and any of the dimensions of impulsivity, nor depression and anxiety. Therapies aimed at improving patients' abilities to regulate negative affects seem promising among subjects suffering from obesity and those seeking bariatric surgery. If well learned, these therapies might also help them to maintain weight loss after surgery by limiting maladaptive eating styles.

Link between Excessive Smartphone Use and Sleeping Disorders and Depression among South Korean University Students

The purpose of this study was to explore the link between smartphone use and sleeping disorders and depression among university students in South Korea. South Korea has the highest mobile phone penetration rate as well as the highest rate of suicide of any of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations, thus making this study of great importance. The core aim was to see whether the excessive use of smartphones has an association with sleeping disorders and depression. A cross-sectional analysis was performed to establish if there was any link between smartphone use and sleeping disorders and depression. Samples from 188 participants were used for this study. Data were collected using two well-established questionnaires, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) and the Athene Insomnia Scale (AIS), as well as a few questions on smartphone use. A few demographic questions were added to the questionnaire. The results of this study concluded that a significant relationship exists between smartphone use and depression. However, the finding of this research could not uncover a significant relationship between smartphone use and sleeping disorders among university students in South Korea. The excessive use of smartphones shows a relationship to an unhealthy lifestyle. There is a clear indication that the overuse of smartphones could be linked to depression. Furthermore, the study found that students with depression also tend to have sleeping disorders.

Positive and negative urgency as a single coherent construct: Evidence from a large-scale network analysis in clinical and non-clinical samples

Aims

Negative and positive urgency are emotion‐related impulsivity traits that are thought to be transdiagnostic factors in psychopathology. However, it has recently been claimed that these two traits are closely related to each other and that considering them separately might have limited conceptual and methodological value. The present study aimed to examine whether positive and negative urgency constructs constitute separate impulsivity traits.

Methods

In contrast to previous studies that have used latent variable approaches, this study employed an item‐based network analysis conducted in two different samples: a large sample of non‐clinical participants (N = 18,568) and a sample of clinical participants with psychiatric disorders (N = 385).

Results

The network analysis demonstrated that items denoting both positive and negative urgency cohere as a single cluster of items termed “general urgency” in both clinical and non‐clinical samples, thereby suggesting that differentiating positive and negative urgency as separate constructs is not necessary.

Conclusion

These findings have important implications for the conceptualization and assessment of urgency and, more broadly, for future research on impulsivity, personality, and psychopathology.

Drawing alcohol craving process: A systematic review of its association with thought suppression, inhibition and impulsivity

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a worldwide public health problem. In recent years, there has been growing evidence supporting craving, the irrepressible desire to drink, as a major mechanism implicated in AUD. Impulsivity is identified as playing a significant role in craving in many studies. However, relationships with inhibition and thought suppression remain unclear in the existing literature. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate their associations in order to better understand the cognitive processes involved in craving.

Studies were identified by searching PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science using PRISMA procedure and PICOTS framework. There were included if they assessed craving and thought suppression or inhibition or impulsivity, and sample was composed of AUD participants.

Thirteen studies were included and were categorized in accordance with the evaluated cognitive process. The first part dealt with thought suppression and the second with impulsivity and inhibition. Four studies showed a positive association between thought suppression and increased craving. Two studies showed that poorer inhibition was associated with increased craving and four studies showed that impulsivity was positively associated with craving. Three studies showed a negative association between impulsivity and inhibition and higher craving.

Our review highlights the association of alcohol craving with poorer inhibition and greater impulsivity. Further investigations are needed to give support to different theories and lead to propose an integrative model involving the cognitive process of inhibition in alcohol craving.

Validation of an emotional stop-signal task to probe individual differences in emotional response inhibition: Relationships with positive and negative urgency

Performance on an emotional stop-signal task designed to assess emotional response inhibition has been associated with Negative Urgency and psychopathology, particularly self-injurious behaviors. Indeed, difficulty inhibiting prepotent negative responses to aversive stimuli on the emotional stop-signal task (i.e. poor negative emotional response inhibition) partially explains the association between Negative Urgency and non-suicidal self-injury. Here, we combine existing data sets from clinical (hospitalised psychiatric inpatients) and non-clinical (community/student participants) samples aged 18-65 years (N = 450) to examine the psychometric properties of this behavioural task and evaluate hypotheses that emotional stop-signal task metrics relate to distinct impulsive traits among participants who also completed the UPPS-P (n = 223). We specifically predicted associations between worse negative emotional response inhibition (i.e. commission errors during stop-signal trials representing negative reactions to unpleasant images) and Negative Urgency, whereas commission errors to positive stimuli - reflecting worse positive emotional response inhibition - would relate to Positive Urgency. Results support the emotional stop-signal task's convergent and discriminant validity: as hypothesised, poor negative emotional response inhibition was specifically associated with Negative Urgency and no other impulsive traits on the UPPS-P. However, we did not find the hypothesised association between positive emotional response inhibition and Positive Urgency. Correlations between emotional stop-signal task performance and self-report measures were the modest, similar to other behavioural tasks. Participants who completed the emotional stop-signal task twice (n = 61) additionally provide preliminary evidence for test-retest reliability. Together, findings suggest adequate reliability and validity of the emotional stop-signal task to derive candidate behavioural markers of neurocognitive functioning associated with Negative Urgency and psychopathology.

Measuring Impulsivity in Children: Adaptation and Validation of a Short Version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviors Scale in Children and Investigation of its Links With ADHD

Objective: Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct known to play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of a wide range of problematic behaviors and psychological disorders in children. Method: In this study, we adapted the short French adult version of the UPPS-P (urgency-premeditation-perseverance-sensation seeking-positive urgency) Impulsive Behaviors Scale for use with children (short UPPS-P-C) and tested its psychometric properties. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses conducted on a sample of 425 children (aged 8-14 years) supported the five-factor structure of the scale. Additional analyses emphasized the good internal and test-retest reliability of the short UPPS-P-C. Furthermore, our results also revealed that lack of premeditation, positive urgency, and negative urgency subscales were able to discriminate between children diagnosed with ADHD and their matched controls. Conclusion: These results suggest that the short UPPS-P-C may be considered as a promising time-saving tool to assess impulsivity traits in healthy children and in children with psychiatric disorders.

Internet Addiction among Young Adult University Students: The Complex Interplay between Family Functioning, Impulsivity, Depression, and Anxiety

International research has underlined that both interpersonal, self-regulation, and comorbid variables can lead to a higher risk of developing internet addiction (IA) among young adults. To date, no studies have explored the interplay between young adults’ family functioning, impulsivity, and psychopathological difficulties. In a community sample of 244 young adult university students, this study aims to assess the relationship between young adults’ IA and young adults’ gender, the perception of their family functioning, impulsivity level, and depressive and anxiety symptoms, considering the possible interplay between these variables. The presence and the severity of IA were addressed through the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Moreover, young adults filled out self-reporting questionnaires, assessing their perception of family functioning and their impulsivity levels and psychopathological symptoms. Results showed no significant association between the youth’s gender and IA. However, moderately addicted young adults were more likely to report poorer quality of family affective involvement and higher attentional impulsivity and depressive problems than other groups. Moreover, young adults’ attentional impulsivity mediated the relationship between family affective involvement and IA. This study provides new evidence on the complex interaction between individuals and interpersonal risk factors involved in IA among young adults, with important implications for the planning of intervention treatments.

Association between executive function and the evolution of behavioral disorders in Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVE

This study was aimed at evaluating the association between cognitive functioning and the occurrence of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS/DESIGN

The population is derived from the PACO cohort, including 237 patients with prodromal or mild AD. A neuropsychological tests battery exploring verbal and visual memory, language, attention, and executive functions was performed at baseline. BPSD were assessed at 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up with neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI).

RESULTS

Lower baseline performance on Stroop test interference score was associated with higher subsequent overall NPI scores (P = .006), subscores of anxiety/depression (P = .03), and apathy inventory (P = .01). Conversely, other executive functions, verbal or visual memory, and language performances were not associated with a higher risk of BPSD.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that poorer inhibition performance would be associated with a higher risk of 18-month BPSD occurrence, including anxiety, depression, and apathy. A better knowledge of the predictive factors of the BPSDs would make it possible to better identify the patients at risk, to propose preventive strategies and an earlier adapted care. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:-, 2020.

Emotional Response Inhibition: A Shared Neurocognitive Deficit in Eating Disorder Symptoms and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

Eating disorder (ED) symptoms often co-occur with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). This comorbidity is consistent with evidence that trait negative urgency increases risk for both of these phenomena. We previously found that impaired late-stage negative emotional response inhibition (i.e., negative emotional action termination or NEAT) might represent a neurocognitive mechanism for heightened negative urgency among people with NSSI history. The current study evaluated whether relations between negative urgency and ED symptoms similarly reflect deficits in this neurocognitive process. A total of 105 community adults completed an assessment of ED symptoms, negative urgency, and an emotional response inhibition task. Results indicated that, contrary to predictions, negative urgency and NEAT contributed independent variance to the prediction of ED symptoms, while controlling for demographic covariates and NSSI history. Worse NEAT was also uniquely associated with restrictive eating, after accounting for negative urgency. Our findings suggest that difficulty inhibiting ongoing motor responses triggered by negative emotional reactions (i.e., NEAT) may be a shared neurocognitive characteristic of ED symptoms and NSSI. However, negative urgency and NEAT dysfunction capture separate variance in the prediction of ED-related cognitions and behaviors, distinct from the pattern of results we previously observed in NSSI.

Trait impulsiveness and response inhibition in young adults: Moderating role of resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia

Trait impulsiveness is a multifaceted construct that includes motor-, attention/cognitive- and non-planning facets, but how specific impulsiveness facets are associated with the deficit of response inhibition is not well understood. Resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), which is considered as an index of cardiac vagal tone has been demonstrated to play a moderating role in the associations between many individual's variables. Whether resting RSA moderates the relationships between the facets of trait impulsiveness and response inhibition remains unknown. To examine these issues, data of self-reported trait impulsiveness, as assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-II), 5-min resting RSA, and response accuracy (ACC) on a modified Go/NoGo task were collected from 132 college students. Results indicated that ACC of NoGo condition on the Go/NoGo task was negatively correlated with BIS motor and BIS total. Trait motor impulsiveness negatively predicted ACC of NoGo condition on the Go/NoGo task in the low resting RSA group but not in the high resting RSA group. This finding suggests that cardiac vagal tone could moderate the association between trait impulsiveness, especially motor impulsiveness, and deficits of response inhibition.

Clarifying the Role of Negative Emotions in the Origin and Control of Impulsive Actions

This critical review elaborates on the origin of impulsive actions and how these can be controlled. We focus in particular on the role of negative events. First, we outline how impulsive actions often originate from negative events that are (emotionally) appraised. A discrepancy between this current state and a desired goal state leads to action tendencies. The urgency of the resulting action depends on the importance of the goal and the size of the discrepancy. Second, we discuss how such impulsive actions can be regulated or controlled e.g. by biasing competition between different options, or by completely suppressing all motor output. Importantly, such control mechanisms might also depend on emotional factors. To reconcile these findings, we present a coherent theoretical framework, taking into account various cognitive, affective, and motivational mechanisms as well as contextual factors that play a crucial role in the origin and control of impulsive actions.

Emotion-related impulsivity moderates the cognitive interference effect of smartphone availability on working memory

Although recent studies suggest that the mere presence of a smartphone might negatively impact on working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, and attentional processes, less is known about the individual differences that are liable to moderate this cognitive interference effect. This study tested whether individual differences in emotion-related impulsivity traits (positive urgency and negative urgency) moderate the effect of smartphone availability on cognitive performance. We designed an experiment in which 132 college students (age 18–25 years) completed a laboratory task that assessed visual working memory capacity in three different conditions: two conditions differing in terms of smartphone availability (smartphone turned off and visible, smartphone in silent mode and visible) and a condition in which the smartphone was not available and was replaced by a calculator (control condition). Participants also completed self-reports that assessed their thoughts after the task performance, positive/negative urgency, and problematic smartphone use. The results showed that participants with higher positive urgency presented increased cognitive interference (reflected by poorer task performance) in the “silent-mode smartphone” condition compared with participants in the “turned-off smartphone” condition. The present study provides new insights into the psychological factors that explain how smartphone availability is liable to interfere with high-level cognitive processes.

Neuropsychological Profiles of Three Subtypes of Impulsivity in the General Population: A Young Adults Study

The impulsivity construct has been investigated in the psychological literature as both a personality factor and a manifestation of the cognitive functioning of individuals. In addition, an increasing number of studies have shown that impulsivity is not a unitary concept and that it must be conceived of as several subtypes. We investigated whether a self-report test of three types of impulsivity could be a good predictor of cognitive functioning in healthy individuals. The sample was composed of 230 subjects (65% women) with a mean age of 28.4 years (SD = 13.6 years) from the general population of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The sample was evaluated using the Questionnaire on Compulsive Urgency, Sensation Seeking, and Impulsive Improvidence (CUBI-18; Squillace Louhau, & Picón Janerio, 2019), which measures three impulsivity subtypes. A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to measure not only executive-attentional functioning, verbal and non-verbal fluency, and speed of processing, but also strategies in the decision-making process. The results showed a differential profile of the three subtypes of impulsivity. Compulsive Urgency was associated with greater executive- attentional difficulties, Impulsive Improvidence with lower fluency in processing nonverbal information, and Sensation Seeking with better general cognitive performance and risk-taking during decision-making.

Executive Functions in Alzheimer Disease: A Systematic Review

Alzheimer's disease is a severe irreversible syndrome, characterized by a slow and progressive cognitive decline that interferes with the standard instrumental and essential functions of daily life. Promptly identifying the impairment of particular cognitive functions could be a fundamental condition to limit, through preventive or therapeutic interventions, the functional damages found in this degenerative dementia. This study aims to analyse, through a systematic review of the studies, the sensitivity of four experimental paradigms (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Task, Go/No-Go Task, and Flanker Task) considered as golden standard instruments for executive functions assessment in elderly subjects affected by Alzheimer dementia. This review was carried out according to the PRISMA method. Forty-five studies comparing the executive performance of patients with Alzheimer's dementia (diagnosed according to different classification criteria for dementia) and healthy elderly patients both over the age of sixty, were selected. For the research, PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycArticles databases were used. The study highlighted the importance of using standard protocols to evaluate executive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. The Stroop task allows discriminating better between healthy and pathological aging.

Cognitive impairment in eating disorder patients of short and long-term duration: a case-control study

Introduction: Several studies have noted the potentially negative effect of eating disorders (ED) on cognitive performance. Objective: To compare the impact of the duration of abnormal eating behaviors on cognitive performance in a sample of people with short- and long-term eating disorders and in two control groups matched for age. Method: The neuropsychological performance of 82 women diagnosed with an eating disorder were compared with two control groups from the community of 66 healthy women. Time of duration of the disorder was less than two years in half of the clinical sample, and more than 10 years in the other half. The following instruments were used to measure neuropsychological performance: the Matrix Test, the Stroop task, the Trail-Making Test, the Tower of London Test, the Posner Spatial Task, the Rey's Complex Figure, the Wechsler Vocabulary Test, and the Hayling Completion Test. Results: It showed that persons with long-term ED presented more impaired neuropsychological profiles, but not in all areas. In contrast, the short-term ED group presented similar profiles to the control groups. Discussion: This study highlights the positive association between cognitive impairment and time of evolution of ED, above all in perceptual measures and non-verbal memory. Considering the effect of the evolution of ED cognitive performance (especially in long-term patients) may further our understanding of the development of the disorder and the factors that may favor its persistence.

Impulsive reactivity to emotion and vulnerability to psychopathology

Impulsiveness has been studied as an aspect of personality and psychopathology for generations. There are longstanding disagreements about how to define it and whether it should be viewed as one construct or several. This article begins by briefly reviewing some earlier and some more recent work on impulsiveness. Several approaches have recently converged to focus on a distinction between impulsive reactions to emotion and impulsive properties that are not initiated by emotion. From this review, we turn to psychopathology. It is well known that impulsiveness is related to externalizing psychopathology, but some have concluded that a similar relation does not exist for internalizing psychopathology. A recent literature is described that challenges the latter conclusion, linking impulsive reactivity to emotion to both externalizing and internalizing aspects of psychopathology. Discussion then turns to emotion-related impulsiveness and other constructs to which it is conceptually and empirically related, reexamining whether other conceptual targets should be added to the discussion. The article closes with a consideration of how important it is to continue to remain open to new conceptual perspectives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Case conceptualization from a process-based and modular perspective: Rationale and application to mood and anxiety disorders

This article presents the theoretical, clinical, and practical arguments supporting a process-based transdiagnostic approach to psychotherapy. A working definition of "psychological process" is provided, as well as a tri-dimensional categorization of psychological processes potentially involved in psychopathology. Guidelines are proposed to select psychological interventions based on the active psychopathological processes evidenced in a given case. We also provide a rationale to organize treatment as a set of modules, each addressing a specific psychopathological process. Next, we review the main processes that may be active in mood and anxiety disorders, and that are accessible to clinicians in regular practice. For each process, we propose a validated assessment questionnaire. Finally, we offer a free-access web-based instrument that allows clients to fill in these questionnaires via an internet survey, and that provides therapists with a tool to easily decode and interpret the questionnaire results and to present them to the clients.

Longitudinal Course and Predictors of Apathetic Symptoms after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Objectives

Apathy is one of the most common behavioral symptoms encountered after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, very little is known about the longitudinal course and predictors of apathetic manifestations. The aims of the present study were to examine how apathy changes and the predictive value of cognitive factors (memory, attention/executive mechanisms, and multitasking) and personal identity factors (self-esteem and self-efficacy beliefs) for apathy over a period of 10 months.

Method

To this end, 68 participants (32 patients with severe TBI matched with 36 control participants) living in the community were enrolled. At Time 1, participants were given three questionnaires to assess self-esteem, self-efficacy beliefs, anxiety and depression symptoms, and five tasks to assess cognitive processes. Simultaneously, a close relative of each participant completed a questionnaire that assessed lack of initiative/initiative. At Time 2, all questionnaires were re-administered to each patient and their relatives.

Results

Patients displayed a significant lack of initiative/interest at all post-injury assessments. At the individual level, the results revealed that a majority of patients had no change in their apathetic symptoms over the 10-month follow-up, whereas in the others, apathetic symptoms mostly increased. Furthermore, impaired memory was the only mechanism that significantly predicted later apathetic manifestations. Complementary profile analyses indicated that patients with worsening symptoms over the follow-up period showed higher inaccurate memory at Time 1 than patients with stable symptoms.

Conclusions

These results provide valuable insight into the longitudinal evolution and predictors of apathy after TBI, which opens interesting prospects for psychological interventions.

The moderating effect of impulsivity on negative affect and body checking

This study examined the moderating effects of different aspects of trait impulsivity on trajectories of negative affect prior to and following body checking in the natural environment in women with anorexia nervosa (AN). Body checking is a compulsive behavior that may maintain the cycle of eating disordered behavior through negative reinforcement. Previous studies regarding the relationship of negative affect to body checking have been inconsistent, making it unclear how negative affect functions as an antecedent to this behavior in the natural environment. We hypothesized that individual differences in trait impulsivity may influence body checking in response to negative affect. Negative urgency (NU) (the tendency to act rashly under distress) and (lack of) perseverance (the tendency to give up on goal directed behavior) may be unique facets of impulsivity that play a role in body checking. Women with AN (n = 82) completed a self-report measure of impulsivity and used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to record negative affect and body checking for two weeks. Results indicated that women with low (lack of) perseverance experienced a greater increase in negative affect than those with high (lack of) perseverance prior to and following body checking. Overall, results indicate that individual differences in trait impulsivity moderated the relationship of negative affect to body checking in women with AN.

Disentangling the role of users' preferences and impulsivity traits in problematic Facebook use

The use of social network sites (SNSs) has grown dramatically. Numerous studies have shown that SNS users may suffer from excessive use, associated with addictive-like symptoms. With a focus on the popular SNS Facebook (FB), our aims in the current study were twofold: First, to explore the heterogeneity of FB usage and determine which kind of FB activity predicts problematic usage; second, to test whether specific impulsivity facets predict problematic use of FB. To this end, a sample of FB users (N = 676) completed an online survey assessing usage preferences (e.g., types of activities performed), symptoms of problematic FB use and impulsivity traits. Results indicated that specific usage preferences (updating one’s status, gaming via FB, and using notifications) and impulsive traits (positive and negative urgency, lack of perseverance) are associated to problematic FB use. This study underscores that labels such as FB “addiction” are misleading and that focusing on the actual activities performed on SNSs is crucial when considering dysfunctional usage. Furthermore, this study clarified the role of impulsivity in problematic FB use by building on a theoretically driven model of impulsivity that assumes its multidimensional nature. The current findings have identifiable theoretical and public health implications.

The unity and diversity of executive functions: A systematic review and re-analysis of latent variable studies

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has been frequently applied to executive function measurement since first used to identify a three-factor model of inhibition, updating, and shifting; however, subsequent CFAs have supported inconsistent models across the life span, ranging from unidimensional to nested-factor models (i.e., bifactor without inhibition). This systematic review summarized CFAs on performance-based tests of executive functions and reanalyzed summary data to identify best-fitting models. Eligible CFAs involved 46 samples (N = 9,756). The most frequently accepted models varied by age (i.e., preschool = one/two-factor; school-age = three-factor; adolescent/adult = three/nested-factor; older adult = two/three-factor), and most often included updating/working memory, inhibition, and shifting factors. A bootstrap reanalysis simulated 5,000 samples from 21 correlation matrices (11 child/adolescent; 10 adult) from studies including the three most common factors, fitting seven competing models. Model results were summarized as the mean percent accepted (i.e., average rate at which models converged and met fit thresholds: CFI ≥ .90/RMSEA ≤ .08) and mean percent selected (i.e., average rate at which a model showed superior fit to other models: ΔCFI ≥ .005/.010/ΔRMSEA ≤ -.010/-.015). No model consistently converged and met fit criteria in all samples. Among adult samples, the nested-factor was accepted (41-42%) and selected (8-30%) most often. Among child/adolescent samples, the unidimensional model was accepted (32-36%) and selected (21-53%) most often, with some support for two-factor models without a differentiated shifting factor. Results show some evidence for greater unidimensionality of executive function among child/adolescent samples and both unity and diversity among adult samples. However, low rates of model acceptance/selection suggest possible bias toward the publication of well-fitting but potentially nonreplicable models with underpowered samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Impulsivity traits and addiction-related behaviors in youth

Background and aims Impulsivity is a risk factor for addictive behaviors. The UPPS-P impulsivity model has been associated with substance addiction and gambling disorder, but its role in other non-substance addiction-related behaviors is less understood. We sought to examine associations between UPPS-P impulsivity traits and indicators of multiple substance and non-substance addiction-related behaviors in youth with varying involvement in these behaviors. Methods Participants (N = 109, aged 16-26 years, 69% males) were selected from a national survey based on their level of externalizing problems to achieve a broad distribution of involvement in addiction-related behaviors. Participants completed the UPPS-P Questionnaire and standardized questionnaires assessing problematic use of substances (alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs) and non-substances (Internet gaming, pornography, and food). Regression analyses were used to assess associations between impulsivity traits and indicators of addiction-related behaviors. Results The UPPS-P model was positively associated with indicators of all addiction-related behaviors except problematic Internet gaming. In the fully adjusted models, sensation seeking and lack of perseverance were associated with problematic use of alcohol, urgency was associated with problematic use of cannabis, and lack of perseverance was associated with problematic use of other drugs than cannabis. Furthermore, urgency and lack of perseverance were associated with binge eating and lack of perseverance was associated with problematic use of pornography. Discussion and conclusions We emphasize the role of trait impulsivity across multiple addiction-related behaviors. Our findings in at-risk youth highlight urgency and lack of perseverance as potential predictors for the development of addictions and as potential preventative therapeutic targets.

The Effect of Insomnia on Neuropsychological Functioning in Patients with Comorbid Symptoms of Pain, Fatigue, and Mood Disorders

OBJECTIVES

To examine if elevated symptoms of insomnia affects neuropsychological functioning in patients with concurrent symptoms of pain, fatigue, and mood disorders.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of seventy-six subjects participated in this (cross-sectional) study. Based on the cut-off score guidelines from The Insomnia Severity Index subjects were assigned to either a clinical insomnia group (N = 35) or a comparison group (N = 41). Factors such as age, general cognitive functioning, and symptoms of pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety did not differ between the groups. Both groups completed a questionnaire which assessed subjective memory functioning. In addition they completed a set of neuropsychological tests measuring general cognitive functioning, spatial and verbal working memory, and inhibitory control. Although the subjects with clinical insomnia did not report more memory problems than the comparison group, they presented significant deficiencies on the tests assessing spatial and verbal working memory. There was no difference between the groups in inhibitory control.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that as the symptom severity of insomnia increases and become clinically significant, it has substantial effect on both spatial and verbal-numeric working memory functioning. By differentiating and testing different domains of working memory, this study provides a more detailed and nuanced characterization of working memory deficiencies than the previous studies within this field. The results need to be transferred to clinical practice so that neuropsychologists include assessments of sleep as part of their routine screenings.

Validation of a Swedish version of the short UPPS-P impulsive behavior scale among young adults

The UPPS-P model of impulsivity proposes that impulsivity comprises five distinct facets-negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale has been used to measure these facets. The purpose of the current study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the 20-item UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (SUPPS-P). The sample comprised 343 Swedish young adults (Mage = 24.21, SD = 2.01; 27% men, 2% other or undisclosed gender identity) who answered a questionnaire including the SUPPS-P; Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21); and questions regarding their alcohol consumption and substance use. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a 5-factor, inter-correlated model, where each subscale of the SUPPS-P constitutes one latent variable. The convergent validity was established by replicating previously found correlations between the different impulsivity facets and depression, anxiety, frequency of alcohol consumption, and substance use. The internal consistency was acceptable for all the SUPPS-P subscales (Cronbach's α = 0.65-0.78, McDonald's ω = 0.65-0.79), except lack of perseverance (Cronbach's α = 0.60, McDonald's ω = 0.61). Thus, while the Swedish version of the SUPPS-P is suitable for assessing impulsivity in Swedish young adult samples, further research is needed to improve the psychometric properties of the lack of perseverance subscale.

Relationships Between Hostile Attribution Bias, Negative Urgency, and Reactive Aggression

Abstract. Negative urgency defined as the tendency to act rashly when faced with intense negative emotions and hostile attribution bias (HAB) which refers to the tendency to interpret the intention of others as hostile when social context cues are ambiguous are two key psychological factors underlying reactive aggression. However, the specific associations between these factors in relation to reactive aggression have not been tested yet with competing models. The objective of the study was to test three putative models: (1) negative urgency moderates the association between HAB and reactive aggression; (2) HAB mediates the link between negative urgency and reactive aggression; (3) negative urgency mediates the relation between HAB and reactive aggression. One-hundred seventy-six participants were given self-report questionnaires to assess impulsivity, reactive aggression, as well as vignettes featuring a social situation measuring HAB in response to an ambiguous social provocation. The results showed that negative urgency constitutes a significant mediator in the association between HAB and reactive aggression. These results provide valuable insight into the cognitive processes underlying reactive aggression and may hold implications for diagnosis and intervention on aggressive behaviors.

Impulsivity influences betting under stress in laboratory gambling

Although recent research suggests that acute stress influences subsequent decision-making under ambiguity, less is known about the role of personality variables in this relationship. This study tested whether impulsivity traits and acute stress differentially influence the way in which a prior feedback is incorporated into further decisions involving ambiguity. Sixty college students (50% male; aged 18-25 years) were randomly assigned to a stress versus a non-stress condition before completing a laboratory gambling task. The results revealed that independently of the stress condition, subjects behaved as if the odds of winning increase after a single loss. Additionally, stress effects varied as a function of impulsivity traits. Individuals who lacked perseverance (i.e., had difficulty focusing on a difficult or boring task) gambled more after experiencing a loss in the stress condition than did those in the control condition. The present study supports that impulsivity traits can explain the differential effect of stress on the relationship between prior feedback and choices made under ambiguity.

Procrastination as a Self-Regulation Failure: The Role of Impulsivity and Intrusive Thoughts

Procrastination has been described as the quintessence of self-regulatory failure. This study examines the relationships between this self-regulatory failure and other manifestations of self-regulation problems, namely impulsivity and intrusive thoughts. One hundred and forty-one participants completed questionnaires assessing procrastination, impulsivity (in particular, the urgency and lack of perseverance dimensions), and intrusive thoughts (i.e., rumination and daydreaming). Main results show that urgency mediated the association between rumination and procrastination, whereas rumination did not mediate the relation between urgency and procrastination. Lack of perseverance mediated the association between daydreaming and procrastination, and daydreaming mediated the relation between lack of perseverance and procrastination. This study highlights the role of impulsivity and intrusive thoughts in procrastination, specifies the links between these self-regulation problems, and provides insights into their (potential) underlying mechanisms. It also opens interesting prospects for management strategies for implementing targeted psychological interventions to reduce impulsive manifestations and/or thought control difficulties accompanying procrastination.

Which dimensions of impulsivity are related to problematic practice of physical exercise?

Background and aims Problematic practice of physical exercise (PPPE) has been suggested to be a behavioral addiction. Impulsivity represents a core dimension of behavioral addictions. However, little is known about impulsivity facets in PPPE. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of impulsivity facets in PPPE. Methods A total of 684 students (between 18 and 25 years) took part in this study and filled up a battery of questionnaire, which consisted of following measures - Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, Exercise Dependence Scale - Revised, and the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Multiple regression analyses were utilized to investigate the predictive role of each impulsivity facet in PPPE. Results Age, the total level of physical activity per day, sex (male), negative urgency, and sensation seeking were found to be significant predictors of PPPE. A categorical analysis of PPPE revealed that negative urgency, positive urgency, and sensation seeking were significantly higher in the dependent category of PPPE. Discussion and conclusions Associations to negative urgency and sensation seeking might indicate that PPPE serves to regulate or alleviate negative affect or aversive emotional states. Thus, PPPE could be conceptualized as a short-term coping strategy dedicated to relieving negative affective states, like other maladaptive behaviors such as binge eating, binge drinking, or compulsive buying.

Self-Reported Impulsivity and its Relation to Executive Functions in Interned Youth

In adolescence, antisocial behaviors increase in prevalence, an occurrence that has been related to the parallel increase of impulsive behaviors. However, impulsivity is a conglomerate of unidimensional impulsigenic traits, divided into aspects of behavioral dyscontrol and sensation seeking. In the present study, we examine how these traits differ between interned youth and an aged-matched control group, and how they relate to executive functioning. Results indicate that impulsigenic traits related to behavioral dyscontrol, but not sensation seeking, are more pronounced in interned adolescents. Also, executive functioning was predictive of lack of premeditation, a trait specifically related to antisocial behavior. One implication of this is that interventions improving executive functioning could be beneficial in the rehabilitation of interned adolescents with impulsivity-related problems.

A path model of different forms of impulsivity with externalizing and internalizing psychopathology: Towards greater specificity

OBJECTIVES

A growing empirical literature indicates that emotion-related impulsivity (compared to impulsivity that is unrelated to emotion) is particularly relevant for understanding a broad range of psychopathologies. Recent work, however, has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity: A factor termed Pervasive Influence of Feelings captures tendencies for emotions (mostly negative emotions) to quickly shape thoughts, and a factor termed Feelings Trigger Action captures tendencies for positive and negative emotions to quickly and reflexively shape behaviour and speech. This study used path modelling to consider links from emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity to a broad range of psychopathologies.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Undergraduates completed self-report measures of impulsivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, and substance use symptoms.

RESULTS

A path model (N = 261) indicated specificity of these forms of impulsivity. Pervasive Influence of Feelings was related to anxiety and depression, whereas Feelings Trigger Action and non-emotion-related impulsivity were related to aggression and substance use.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study suggest that emotion-relevant impulsivity could be a potentially important treatment target for a set of psychopathologies.

PRACTITIONER POINTS

Recent work has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity. This study tests a multivariate path model linking emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity with multiple forms of psychopathology. Impulsive thoughts in response to negative emotions were related to anxiety and depression. Impulsive actions in response to emotions were related to aggression and substance use, as did non-emotion-related impulsivity. The study was limited by the reliance on self-report measures of impulsivity and psychopathology. There is a need for longitudinal work on how these forms of impulsivity predict the onset and course of psychopathology.

A multifactorial and integrative approach to impulsivity in neuropsychology: insights from the UPPS model of impulsivity

Risky and excessive behaviors, such as aggressive and compulsive behaviors, are frequently described in patients with brain damage and have dramatic psychosocial consequences. Although there is strong evidence that impulsivity constitutes a key factor at play in these behaviors, the literature about impulsivity in neuropsychology is to date scarce. In addition, examining and understanding these problematic behaviors requires the assumption that impulsivity is a multidimensional construct. Consequently, this article aims at shedding light on frequent risky and excessive behaviors in patients with brain damage by focusing on a unified, comprehensive, and well-validated model, namely, the UPPS model of impulsivity. This model considers impulsivity as a multidimensional construct that includes four facets: urgency, (lack of) premeditation, (lack of) perseverance, and sensation seeking. Furthermore, we discuss the psychological mechanisms underlying the dimensions of impulsivity, as well as the laboratory tasks designed to assess each mechanism and their neural bases. We then present a scale specifically designed to assess these four dimensions of impulsivity in patients with brain damage and examine the data regarding this multidimensional approach to impulsivity in neuropsychology. This review supports the need to adopt a multifactorial and integrative approach toward impulsive behaviors, and the model presented provides a valuable rationale to disentangle the nature of brain systems and mechanisms underlying impulsive behaviors in patients with brain damage. It may also foster further relevant research in the field of impulsivity and improve assessment and rehabilitation of impulsive behaviors in clinical settings.

Alcohol-cue exposure decreases response inhibition towards alcohol-related stimuli in detoxified alcohol-dependent patients

The induction of alcohol craving and the cognitive processing of alcohol-related stimuli in alcohol-dependent patients have been reported to compete with inhibitory control and contribute to alcohol relapse. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether the induction of a craving state, using an alcohol cue exposure paradigm, influences response inhibition towards both neutral stimuli and alcohol-related stimuli in alcohol-dependent patients. Thirty-one detoxified alcohol-dependent patients were exposed to either their preferred alcoholic beverage or to a glass of water. They then performed a modified stop signal task, which used alcohol-related words, neutral words and non-words, and a lexical decision as the Go response. The alcohol-cue exposure group reported significantly higher alcohol craving and showed higher percentages of commission errors towards alcohol-related words than the control group. All participants, but especially those of the alcohol-cue exposure group, showed also shorter reaction times when alcohol words were used as targets in go trials. The induction of alcohol craving in detoxified alcohol-dependent patients increases the motivational salience value of alcohol stimuli, leading them to automatically approach alcohol-related cues and therefore impairing response inhibition towards those stimuli.