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

Abstract

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.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese version of UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale

“…Moreover, males scored significantly higher on sensation seeking than did females, which was in accordance with previous research findings (8,10,13,14). However, some studies found that males scored higher than females on positive and negative urgency, but the results of other studies were the opposite (8,10,13,14,31). That our study gave different results may be because of the unbalanced sample in terms of gender.…”

“…For example, negative urgency was associated with aggression and lack of premeditation, and positive urgency was associated with smoking status, while sensation seeking and lack of perseverance were associated with problematic use of alcohol (7). There are also gender differences in impulsivity, such that studies show consistently higher levels of sensation seeking in males than females (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). However, there are mixed results for gender differences in the other four UPPS-P facets.…”

Research on the Polish short version of the Impulsive Behavior Scale UPPS-P

“…Previous studies indicated gender differences in specific UPPS-S dimensions and therefore hypothesised that women would gain lower results than men in the sensation seeking and positive urgency subscales, and higher results in the negative urgency subscale [14,24]. A positive verification of this hypothesis will confirm the measure validity of the impulsivity aspects dependent on gender differences.…”

“…Many of the items in the five subscales reach redundancy indicators [17]. This is why many shortened versions of the tool have been created as SUPPS-P (French [18], English [19], Spanish [21], Italian [23] and Swedish [24]). The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Polish version of SUPPS-P, which would be useful both for empirical studies and for clinical purposes.…”

“…Ponadto wiele itemów przynależnych do pięciu podskal osiąga wskaźniki nadmiarowości [17]. Dlatego ostatnio powstało wiele skróconych wersji tego narzędzia, oznaczonych jako SUPPS-P (francuska [18], angielska [19], hiszpańska [21], włoska [23], szwedzka [24]). Celem niniejszego badania było opracowanie i walidacja polskiej wersji SUPPS-P, która byłaby użyteczna zarówno w badaniach empirycznych, jak i w warunkach klinicznych.…”