Definition
Impulsivity is a personality trait characterized by the tendency to act without thinking or planning ahead. People who are impulsive tend to make rash decisions, take risks, and act on impulse. They may also have difficulty controlling their emotions and behaviors. Impulsivity can be a sign of a number of different mental health conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder. It can also be a symptom of substance abuse.
Reliability
The IS is a reliable measure of impulsivity. It has been shown to have high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and interrater reliability.
Validity
The IS is a valid measure of impulsivity. It has been shown to correlate with other measures of impulsivity, such as the Eysenck Impulsivity Questionnaire (EPQ) and the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS).
The IS is a 30-item self-report questionnaire that measures impulsivity in three domains: attentional impulsivity, motor impulsivity, and non-planning impulsivity.
Attentional impulsivity is the tendency to be easily distracted and have difficulty focusing on tasks. People who are high in attentional impulsivity may have trouble following instructions, staying on task, and completing work. They may also be easily bored and have difficulty sitting still.
Motor impulsivity is the tendency to act without thinking or planning ahead. People who are high in motor impulsivity may act impulsively, make rash decisions, and take risks. They may also have difficulty controlling their emotions and behaviors.
Non-planning impulsivity is the tendency to be disorganized and have difficulty thinking ahead. People who are high in non-planning impulsivity may have trouble planning ahead, organizing their thoughts, and making decisions. They may also be forgetful and have difficulty managing their time.
The IS is a useful tool for assessing impulsivity in a variety of settings, including clinical, research, and educational settings. It can be used to diagnose impulsivity disorders, assess the severity of impulsivity, and track changes in impulsivity over time. The IS can also be used to develop treatment plans and interventions for people with impulsivity disorders.
If you are concerned that you or someone you know may have an impulsivity disorder, please talk to a doctor or mental health professional.
Impulsivity Scale (IS)
Sutton-Smith‚ Rosenberg‚ Hirschfield‚ 1965
1. I like to keep moving around. (I don’t like to keep moving around.)
2. I make friends quickly. (I don’t I make friends quickly.)
3. I like to wrestle and to horse around. (I don’t like to wrestle and to horse around.)
4. I like to shoot with bows and arrows. (I don’t like to shoot with bows and arrows.)
5. I must admit I am a pretty good talker. (I must admit that I’m not a pretty good talker.)
6. Whenever there’s a fire engine going someplace‚ I like to follow it. (If there’s a fire engine going someplace‚ I don’t like to follow it.)
7. My home life is not always happy. (My home life is always happy.)
8. When things get quiet‚ I like to stir up a little fuss. (I usually don’t like to stir up a little fuss when things get quiet.)
9. I am restless. (I am not restless.)
10.I don’t think I’m as happy as other people. (I think I’m as happy as other people.)
11.I get into tricks at Halloween. (I don’t get into tricks at Halloween.)
12.I like being “it” when we play games of that sort. (I don’t like being “it” when we play games of that sort.)
13.It’s fun to push people off the edge into the pool. (It’s not fun to push people off the edge into the pool.)
14.I play hooky sometimes. (I never play hooky.)
15.I like to go with lots of other kids‚ not just one. (I usually like to go with one kid‚ rather lots of them.)
16.I like throwing stones at targets. (I don’t like throwing stones at targets.)
17.It’s hard to stick to the rules if you’re losing the game. (It’s not hard to stick to the rules even if you’re losing the game.)
18.I like to dare kids to do things. (I don’t like to dare kids to do things.)
19.I’m not known as a hard and steady worker. (I’m known as a hard and steady worker.)
Sutton-Smith‚Rosenberg Impulsivity Scale -D Version
Adopted by Denson‚ 1977
1. I like to keep moving around.
2. I make friends quickly.
3. I must admit I am a pretty good talker.
4. Whenever there’s a fire engine going someplace‚ I like to follow it.
5. When things get quiet‚ I like to stir up a little.
6. I am restless.
7. I like being “it” when we play games of that sort.
8. It’s fun to push people off the edge into the pool.
9. It’s hard to stick to the rules if you’re losing the game.
10.I like to dare kids to do things.
11.I like to go around with lots of other people‚ not just one or two.
12.I’m not known as a hard and steady worker.
13.I like to just “blow off” steam.
14.I don’t think you should always have to do what you’re told.
15.I’ll try almost anything once.
16.I usually say the first thing that comes into my head.
17.I often act on the spur of the moment without stopping to think.
18.I can’t concentrate on my work when people are talking in the room.
19.It’s hard for me to save money even when I want to.
20.When people are playing an exciting game‚ I want to get in it rather than just watch.
21.I can’t sit still when I hear really good music.
22.It’s fun to take chances.
23.Sometimes I say or do thing just to see how people will react.
24.I buy things I don’t need because I like them.
25.I think museums are boring.
26. I like “hard rock” music better than “soft rock” music.
27.I seem to get into trouble a lot without even planning to.
28.My friends think I’m a “character’.
29.I don’t like to follow schedules or routines.
30.I like to “tinker” with things.
True‚ False
This instrument can be found at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED465784.pdf & Fischer‚ Joel.‚ Corcoran‚ Kevin J. (2007). Measures for Clinical Practice and research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY. Oxford University Pr. Vol. 1‚ Page (s): 552-553.
Sutton-Smith‚ B. & Rosenberg‚ B. G. (1959). A Scale to Identify Impulsive Behavior in Children. The Journal of Genetic Psychology‚ 85(2)‚ 211-216.
Hirschfield‚ Paul P. (1965). Response Set in Impulsive Children. The Journal of Genetic Psychology‚ 107(1)‚ 117-126.
Sutton-Smith‚ B.‚ Rosenberg‚ B. G.‚ Hirschfield‚ P.P. (1965). Impulsivity Scale (IS). In Fischer‚ Joel.‚ Corcoran‚ Kevin J. (2007). Measures for Clinical Practice and research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY. Oxford University Pr. Vol. 1‚ Page (s): 552-553.
