Protocol - Disinhibiting Behaviors - Impulsivity - Adolescent and Adult
Description
The UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale contains 59 self-administered questions that are scored as five subscales (urgency, premeditation, perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency). The respondent is asked to complete the questionnaire by reading each item and circling the number on a Likert scale, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree, that corresponds to his/her behavior.
Specific Instructions
None
Availability
Protocol
Below are a number of statements that describe ways in which people act and think. For each statement, please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the statement. If you Agree Strongly circle 1, if you Agree Somewhat circle 2, if you Disagree Somewhat circle 3, and if you Disagree Strongly circle 4. Be sure to indicate your agreement or disagreement for every statement below. Also, there are questions on the following pages.
Agree Strongly | Agree Some | Disagree Some | Disagree Strongly | ||
1. | I have a reserved and cautious attitude toward life. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
2. | I have trouble controlling my impulses. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
3. | I generally seek new and exciting experiences and sensations. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
4. | I generally like to see things through to the end. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
5. | When I am very happy, I cant seem to stop myself from doing things that can have bad consequences. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
6. | My thinking is usually careful and purposeful. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
7. | I have trouble resisting my cravings (for food, cigarettes, etc). | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
8. | Ill try anything once. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
9. | I tend to give up easily. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
10. | When I am in a great mood, I tend to get into situations that could cause me problems. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
11. | I am not one of those people who blurt out things without thinking. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
12. | I often get involved in things I later wish I could get out of. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
13. | I like sports and games in which you have to choose your next move very quickly. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
14. | Unfinished tasks really bother me. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
15. | When I am very happy, I tend to do things that may cause problems in my life. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
16. | I like to stop and think things over before I do them. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
17. | When I feel bad, I will often do things I later regret in order to make myself feel better now. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
18. | I would enjoy water skiing. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
19. | Once I get going on something I hate to stop. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
20. | I tend to lose control when I am in a great mood. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
21. | I dont like to start a project until I know exactly how to proceed. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
22. | Sometimes when I feel bad, I cant seem to stop what I am doing even though it is making me feel worse. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
23. | I quite enjoy taking risks. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
24. | I concentrate easily. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
25. | When I am really ecstatic, I tend to get out of control. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
26. | I would enjoy parachute jumping. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
27. | I finish what I start. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
28. | I tend to value and follow a rational, "sensible" approach to things. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
29. | When I am upset I often act without thinking. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
30. | Others would say I make bad choices when I am extremely happy about something. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
31. | I welcome new and exciting experiences and sensations, even if they are a little frightening and unconventional. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
32. | I am able to pace myself so as to get things done on time. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
33. | I usually make up my mind through careful reasoning. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
34. | When I feel rejected, I will often say things I regret later. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
35. | Others are shocked or worried about the things I do when I am feeling very excited. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
36. | I would like to learn to fly an airplane. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
37. | I am a person who always gets the job done. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
38. | I am a cautious person. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
39. | It is hard for me to resist acting on my feelings. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
40. | When I get really happy about something, I tend to do things that can have bad consequences. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
41. | I sometimes like doing things that are a bit frightening. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
42. | I almost always finish projects that I start. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
43. | Before I get into a new situation I like to find out what to expect from it. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
44. | I often make matters worse because I act without thinking when I am upset. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
45. | When overjoyed, I feel like I cant stop myself from going overboard. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
46. | I would enjoy the sensation of skiing very fast down a high mountain slope. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
47. | Sometimes there are so many little things to be done that I just ignore them all. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
48. | I usually think carefully before doing anything. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
49. | When I am really excited, I tend not to think of the consequences of my actions. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
50. | In the heat of an argument, I will often say things that I later regret. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
51. | I would like to go scuba diving. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
52. | I tend to act without thinking when I am really excited. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
53. | I always keep my feelings under control. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
54. | When I am really happy, I often find myself in situations that I normally wouldnt be comfortable with. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
55. | Before making up my mind, I consider all the advantages and disadvantages. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
56. | I would enjoy fast driving. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
57. | When I am very happy, I feel like it is ok to give in to cravings or overindulge. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
58. | Sometimes I do impulsive things that I later regret. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
59. | I am surprised at the things I do while in a great mood. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Scoring Instructions:
This is a revised version of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (Whiteside & Lynam, 2001). This version, UPPS-P (Lynam, Smith, Whiteside, & Cyders, 2006), assesses positive urgency (Cyders, Smith, Spillane, Fischer, Annus, & Peterson, 2007) in addition to the four pathways assessed in the original version of the scale—urgency (now negative urgency), (lack of) premeditation, (lack of) perseverance, and sensation seeking. The scale uses a 1 (agree strongly) to 4 (disagree strongly) response format. Because the items from different scales run in different directions, it is important to make sure that the correct items are reverse-scored. Typically all of the items are recoded in the direction such that higher scores indicate more impulsive behavior. Therefore, we include the scoring key for (negative) urgency, (lack of) premeditation, (lack of) perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency. For each scale, calculate the mean of the available items; this puts the scales on the same metric. Typically participants must have responded to at least 70% of the items before a score is calculated.
(Negative) Urgency (all items except one are reversed)
items 2 (R), 7(R), 12 (R), 17 (R), 22 (R), 29 (R), 34 (R), 39 (R), 44 (R), 50 (R), 53, 58 (R)
(lack of) Premeditation (no items are reversed)
items 1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 28, 33, 38, 43, 48, 55
(lack of) Perseverance (two items are reversed)
items 4, 9 (R), 14, 19, 24, 27, 32, 37, 42, 47 (R)
Sensation Seeking (all items are reversed)
items 3 (R), 8 (R), 13 (R), 18 (R), 23 (R), 26 (R), 31 (R), 36 (R), 41 (R), 46 (R), 51 (R), 56 (R)
Positive Urgency (all items are reversed)
items 5 (R), 10 (R), 15 (R), 20 (R), 25 (R), 30 (R), 35 (R), 40 (R), 45 (R), 49 (R), 52 (R), 54 (R), 57 (R), 59 (R)
(R) indicates the item needs to be reverse scored such 1=4, 2=3, 3=2, and 4=1.
Personnel and Training Required
None
Equipment Needs
None
Requirements
Requirement Category | Required |
---|---|
Major equipment | No |
Specialized training | No |
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection | No |
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual | No |
Mode of Administration
Self-administered questionnaire
Lifestage
Adolescent, Adult
Participants
[
Ages 12+ years
]Selection Rationale
[
The UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale was developed by Whiteside and Lynam (2001) through an empirical investigation of the many different existent measures of the heterogeneous trait of impulsivity. Used in studies of psychiatric disorders and risky and deviant behavior, the scale has been widely adopted, validated with adolescents and adults, and administered in French and German. In 2006, Dr. Gregory Smith and colleagues added one more dimension (positive urgency) to the scale. Each subscale has been validated and the results are independent of one another.
]Language
English, Other languages available at source
Standards
Standard | Name | ID | Source |
---|---|---|---|
Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) | Disinhibit behav - impuls adult proto | 62920-4 | LOINC |
Human Phenotype Ontology | Impulsivity | HP:0100710 | HPO |
caDSR Form | PhenX PX180401 - Disinhibiting Behaviors Impulsivity Adolescent and Adult Protocol | 6188638 | caDSR Form |
Derived Variables
None
Process and Review
Expert Review Panel 4 (ERP 4) reviewed the measures in the Neurology, Psychiatric, and Psychosocial domains. Guidance from ERP 4 included the following:
- No changes
Protocol Name from Source
UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale
Source
Lynam, D. R., Smith, G. T., Whiteside, S. P., & Cyders, M. A. (2006). The UPPS-P: Assessing five personality pathways to impulsive behavior. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University.
General References
Cyders, M. A., Smith, G. T., Spillane, N. S., Fischer, S., Annus, A. M., & Peterson, C. (2007). Integration of impulsivity and positive mood to predict risky behavior: Development and validation of a measure of positive urgency. Psychological Assessment, 19(1), 107-118.
dAcremont, M., & Van der Linden, M. (2005). Adolescent impulsivity: Findings from a community sample. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 34, 427-435.
Fischer, S., & Smith, G. T. (2008). Binge eating, problem drinking, and pathological gambling: Linking behavior to shared traits and social learning. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 789-800.
Lynam, D. R., & Miller, J. D. (2004). Personality pathways to impulsive behavior and their relations to deviance: Results from three samples. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 20, 319-342.
Smith, G. T., Fischer, S., Cyders, M. A., Annus, A. M., Spillane, N. S., & McCarthy, D. M. (2007). On the validity and utility of discriminating among impulsivity-like traits. Assessment, 14, 155-170.
Whiteside, S. P., & Lynam, D. R. (2001). The Five Factor Model and impulsivity: Using a structural model of personality to understand impulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 669-689.
Protocol ID
180401
Variables
Export VariablesVariable Name | Variable ID | Variable Description | dbGaP Mapping | |
---|---|---|---|---|
PX180401_Able_To_Pace_Myself | ||||
PX180401320000 | I am able to pace myself so as to get things more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Act_Without_Thinking_Make_Worse | ||||
PX180401440000 | I often make matters worse because I act more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Act_Without_Thinking_When_Excited | ||||
PX180401520000 | I tend to act without thinking when I am more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Act_Without_Thinking_When_Upset | ||||
PX180401290000 | When I am upset I often act without thinking. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Almost_Always_Finish_Projects | ||||
PX180401420000 | I almost always finish projects that I start. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Cant_Stop_From_Going_Overboard | ||||
PX180401450000 | When overjoyed, I feel like I can't stop more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Cant_Stop_Hurtful_Actions | ||||
PX180401220000 | Sometimes when I feel bad, I can't seem to more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Careful_Reasoning | ||||
PX180401330000 | I usually make up my mind through careful more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Cautious_About_New_Situations | ||||
PX180401430000 | Before I get into a new situation I like to more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Cautious_Attitude_Toward_Life | ||||
PX180401010000 | I have a reserved and cautious attitude more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Cautious_Person | ||||
PX180401380000 | I am a cautious person. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Concentrate_Easily | ||||
PX180401240000 | I concentrate easily. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Consider_All_Advantages_And_Disadvantages | ||||
PX180401550000 | Before making up my mind, I consider all the more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Doesnt_Blurt_Out_Without_Thinking | ||||
PX180401110000 | I am not one of those people who blurt out more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Dont_Think_About_Consequences | ||||
PX180401490000 | When I am really excited, I tend not to more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Do_Impulsive_Things_Later_Regret | ||||
PX180401580000 | Sometimes I do impulsive things that I later more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Do_Things_That_Cause_Problems | ||||
PX180401150000 | When I am very happy, I tend to do things more | Variable Mapping | ||
PX180401_Do_Things_With_Bad_Consequences | ||||
PX180401400000 | When I get really happy about something, I more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Enjoy_Fast_Driving | ||||
PX180401560000 | I would enjoy fast driving. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Enjoy_Parachute_Jumping | ||||
PX180401260000 | I would enjoy parachute jumping. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Enjoy_Taking_Risks | ||||
PX180401230000 | I quite enjoy taking risks. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Exactly_How_To_Proceed | ||||
PX180401210000 | I don't like to start a project until I know more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Finish_What_I_Start | ||||
PX180401270000 | I finish what I start. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Get_The_Job_Done | ||||
PX180401370000 | I am a person who always gets the job done. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Give_InTo_Cravings_When_Happy | ||||
PX180401570000 | When I am very happy, I feel like it is ok more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Give_Up_Easily | ||||
PX180401090000 | I tend to give up easily. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Great_Mood_Get_Into_ProblemSituations | ||||
PX180401100000 | When I am in a great mood, I tend to get more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Hard_To_Resist_Feelings | ||||
PX180401390000 | It is hard for me to resist acting on my feelings. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Hate_To_Stop | ||||
PX180401190000 | Once I get going on something I hate to stop. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Ignore_Little_Things | ||||
PX180401470000 | Sometimes there are so many little things to more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Keep_Feelings_Under_Control | ||||
PX180401530000 | I always keep my feelings under control. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Later_Wish_Get_Out_Of | ||||
PX180401120000 | I often get involved in things I later wish more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Like_Doing_Frightening_Things | ||||
PX180401410000 | I sometimes like doing things that are a bit more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Like_Games_Choose_Move_Quickly | ||||
PX180401130000 | I like sports and games in which you have to more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Like_To_Fly_An_Airplane | ||||
PX180401360000 | I would like to learn to fly an airplane. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Lose_Control | ||||
PX180401200000 | I tend to lose control when I am in a great mood. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Others_Say_I_Make_BadChoices | ||||
PX180401300000 | Others would say I make bad choices when I more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Others_ShockedAbout_Things_I_Do | ||||
PX180401350000 | Others are shocked or worried about the more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Out_Of_Control_When_Ecstatic | ||||
PX180401250000 | When I am really ecstatic, I tend to get out more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Rational_Approach_To_Things | ||||
PX180401280000 | I tend to value and follow a rational, more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Regret_Actions_ToFeel_Better | ||||
PX180401170000 | When I feel bad, I will often do things I more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Say_Things_Later_Regret | ||||
PX180401500000 | In the heat of an argument, I will often say more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Say_Things_Regret_When_Rejected | ||||
PX180401340000 | When I feel rejected, I will often say more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Seek_New_And_Exciting_Experiences | ||||
PX180401030000 | I generally seek new and exciting more | N/A | ||
PX180401_See_Things_Through | ||||
PX180401040000 | I generally like to see things through to the end. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Stop_And_Think_Things_Over | ||||
PX180401160000 | I like to stop and think things over before more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Surprising_Actions_Great_Mood | ||||
PX180401590000 | I am surprised at the things I do while in a more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Thinking_Careful_And_Purposeful | ||||
PX180401060000 | My thinking is usually careful and purposeful. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Think_Carefully_Before_Doing_Anything | ||||
PX180401480000 | I usually think carefully before doing anything. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Trouble_Controlling_Impulses | ||||
PX180401020000 | I have trouble controlling my impulses. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Trouble_Resisting_Cravings | ||||
PX180401070000 | I have trouble resisting my cravings (for more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Try_Anything_Once | ||||
PX180401080000 | I'll try anything once. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Uncomfortable_Situations_When_Happy | ||||
PX180401540000 | When I am really happy, I often find myself more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Unfinished_Tasks_Really_Bother_Me | ||||
PX180401140000 | Unfinished tasks really bother me. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Welcome_New_And_Exciting_Experiences | ||||
PX180401310000 | I welcome new and exciting experiences and more | N/A | ||
PX180401_When_Happy_Do_Things_BadConsequences | ||||
PX180401050000 | When I am very happy, I can't seem to stop more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Would_Enjoy_Snow_Skiing_Sensation | ||||
PX180401460000 | I would enjoy the sensation of skiing very more | N/A | ||
PX180401_Would_Enjoy_Water_Skiing | ||||
PX180401180000 | I would enjoy water skiing. | N/A | ||
PX180401_Would_Like_Scuba_Diving | ||||
PX180401510000 | I would like to go scuba diving. | N/A |
Measure Name
Disinhibiting Behaviors - Impulsivity
Release Date
December 13, 2010
Definition
This is an assessment with five subscales that are used to measure five distinct dimensions of impulsive behavior.
Purpose
Impulsivity is typically defined as the initiation of behavior without forethought. It has been identified as a risk factor for a variety of psychiatric disorders and problem drinking.
Keywords
Psychosocial, impulsive, impulsivity, behavior, personality, premeditation, urgency, sensation seeking, perseverance, UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale for Children
Measure Protocols
Protocol ID | Protocol Name |
---|---|
180401 | Disinhibiting Behaviors - Impulsivity - Adolescent and Adult |
180402 | Disinhibiting Behaviors - Impulsivity - Child |
Publications
Namaky, N., et al. (2023) Suicidal thoughts and behaviours among military veterans: protocol for a prospective, observational, neuroimaging study. BMJ Open. 2023 August; 13(8). doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070654
Benzerouk, F., et al. (2021) Contributing roles of depression, anxiety, and impulsivity dimensions in eating behaviors styles in surgery candidates. Journal of Eating Disorders. 2021 November; 9(1): 148. doi: 10.1186/s40337-021-00503-8
Merz, E. C., et al. (2018) Anxiety, depression, impulsivity, and brain structure in children and adolescents. Neuroimage Clin. 2018 July; 2018(20): 243-251. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.07.020
Stevens, A. K., et al. (2017) Do individuals higher in impulsivity drink more impulsively? A pilot study within a high risk sample of young adults. Addict Behav. 2017 February; 65: 147-153. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.10.026
Stevens, A. K., et al. (2016) Does drinking refusal self-efficacy mediate the impulsivity-problematic alcohol use relation? Addict Behav. 2016 February; 53: 181-6. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.019