Further exploration of the SUPPS-P impulsive behavior scale’s factor structure: Evidence from a large Hungarian sample

A Preliminary Investigation of a Conceptual Model Describing the Associations Between Childhood Maltreatment and Alcohol Use Problems

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Childhood maltreatment has been linked to numerous adverse outcomes in adulthood, including problem substance use. However, not all individuals exposed to childhood maltreatment develop substance use problems, indicating the role of other factors in influencing this outcome. Past work suggests that adverse early life experiences, including childhood maltreatment, lead to neurobiological changes in frontolimbic functions that, in turn, result in altered stress and reward responses, heightened impulsivity, affect dysregulation, and, ultimately, increased risk for maladaptive behaviors such as substance use. The aim of this preliminary investigation using cross-sectional data was to test associations between these factors in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and alcohol use problems in a sample of emerging adults.

METHODS

Emerging adults (18-30 years old) who identified as regular drinkers (i.e., drinking at least 2-4 times in the past month) were recruited from a crowd-sourcing platform (Prolific) as well as community samples. Participants completed online standardized questionnaires assessing reward sensitivity and responsiveness, impulsivity, emotion regulation, and alcohol consequences.

RESULTS

Path analyses demonstrated good fit for the data (SRMR = 0.057, RMSEA = 0.096, 90% CI [0.055, 0.142], CFI = 0.957). Childhood maltreatment was associated with reward responsiveness (β = -0.026, Z = -4.222, p < 0.001) and emotion dysregulation (β = 0.669, Z = 9.633, p < 0.001), which in turn was associated with urgency and, subsequently, alcohol consequences (β = 0.758, Z = 7.870, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although these findings are preliminary, the current study is one of the first to test a comprehensive model addressing the relationship between childhood maltreatment and alcohol use problems. The findings have the potential to inform treatment strategies that target motivation and goal-directed action for reducing and managing consequences associated with childhood maltreatment. Future research should test the model using longitudinal data to address the limitations of a cross-sectional study and assess temporal associations between constructs.

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.

Evaluating the factor structure and measurement invariance of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale across multiple countries, languages, and gender identities

The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Model and the various psychometric instruments developed and validated based on this model are well established in clinical and research settings. However, evidence regarding the psychometric validity, reliability, and equivalence across multiple countries of residence, languages, or gender identities, including gender-diverse individuals, is lacking to date. Using data from the International Sex Survey (N = 82,243), confirmatory factor analyses and measurement invariance analyses were performed on the preestablished five-factor structure of the 20-item short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale to examine whether (a) psychometric validity and reliability and (b) psychometric equivalence hold across 34 country-of-residence-related, 22 language-related, and three gender-identity-related groups. The results of the present study extend the latter psychometric instrument's well-established relevance to 26 countries, 13 languages, and three gender identities. Most notably, psychometric validity and reliability were evidenced across nine novel translations included in the present study (i.e., Croatian, English, German, Hebrew, Korean, Macedonian, Polish, Portuguese-Portugal, and Spanish-Latin American) and psychometric equivalence was evidenced across all three gender identities included in the present study (i.e., women, men, and gender-diverse individuals).

A systematic review of sex/gender differences in the multi-dimensional neurobiological mechanisms in addiction and their relevance to impulsivity

Purpose of Review

Addiction may be characterized along three functional domains: Approach Behavior, Executive Function, and Negative Emotionality. Constructs underlying impulsivity thought to be relevant in addiction map on to these three functional domains. The purpose of the present review was to evaluate the extant research regarding sex/gender differences in the multi-dimensional domains of addiction using human neuroimaging and discuss their relevance to impulsivity.

Recent Findings

Few papers over the past two decades have used human neuroimaging to test sex/gender differences in addiction. There is therefore a significant gap in the literature regarding sex/gender differences in the neurobiological mechanisms driving the multi-dimensionality of addiction and their implications to impulsivity.

Summary

Of the 34 reviewed papers, the orbitofrontal cortex/ventromedial prefrontal cortex (OFC/vmPFC) was the most frequently reported brain region to evidence a sex/gender difference during fMRI tasks probing Approach Behavior and Negative Emotionality. This finding suggests potential sex/gender-specific patterns of subjective valuation in substance misuse, driven by OFC/vmPFC dysregulation.

A comprehensive model to understand and assess the motivational background of video game use: The Gaming Motivation Inventory (GMI)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The popularity of video gaming has generated significant interest in research methods to examine motivations for gaming. Current measures of gaming motives are limited by lack of scope and/or their applicability to specific game genres only. We aimed to create a comprehensive motivation inventory applicable to any gaming genre and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a large sample of highly engaged video gamers.

METHODS

Stage 1 of this project involved a systematic review that generated the items for the Gaming Motivation Inventory (GMI). Stages 2-4 involved an evaluation of the psychometric properties of the GMI. A sample of 14,740 video gamers (89.3% male; mean age 24.1 years) were recruited via an online survey promoted by a popular gaming magazine.

RESULTS

In Stage 2, twenty-six gaming motives were identified, which clustered into six higher-order dimensions (Mastery, Immersion/Escapism, Competition, Stimulation, Social, Habit/Boredom). In Stage 3, construct validity of the six higher-order motives was assessed by associations with gaming-related, personality, and psychological variables. In Stage 4, the relationships between motives and depression symptoms and gaming disorder symptoms were explored. Although gaming motives had weak associations with gaming genres, they were moderately related to variables such as competitiveness, sociability, and positive and negative affect. Gaming disorder symptoms were directly predicted by depression symptoms and indirectly via Immersion/Escapism, Habit/Boredom, and Competition motives.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the notion that motives are one of the primary causes of gaming behavior and play an important role in predicting its problematic nature. The GMI is a psychometrically valid tool that will be useful for gaining insights into factors underlying gaming behaviors.

The relationship between anxious-depressive symptoms and harmful cannabis use: Multiple mediation models via rumination, negative urgency, protective behavioral strategies and refusal self-efficacy

BACKGROUND

Distressful and negative affective states can be associated with limited self-regulation capacities, while emotion regulation processes (e.g., rumination, negative urgency) might contribute to further depletion of self-control capacities which in turn can lead to diminished control over cannabis use.

AIMS

The mediating functions of rumination (i.e., brooding and reflection), negative urgency (NU) and constructs of cannabis use regulation (i.e., cannabis protective behavioral strategies [CPBS] and cannabis refusal self-efficacy [CRSE]) were examined on the associations between anxious-depressive symptoms and cannabis use outcomes (i.e., frequency, harmful use).

METHODS

The cross-sectional study used a sample of cannabis users showing signs of harmful consumption (N = 750; Males: 70.13% [N = 526]; Age: M = 29.11 [SD = 7.45]). Standardized questionnaires measured anxious-depressive symptoms, rumination, NU, CRSE, CPBS, frequency of cannabis use and harmful cannabis use. A linear regression-based, double-mediation model was performed.

RESULTS

Five significant indirect effects were demonstrated in the mediation model. Single-mediation effects were shown between anxious-depressive symptoms and harmful cannabis use via CRSE and via CPBS. Double-mediation effects were presented between anxious-depressive symptoms and harmful cannabis use via reflection and CPBS, via reflection and CRSE, and via NU and CRSE.

CONCLUSIONS

Emotion and cannabis use regulation pathways explained the associations between anxious-depressive symptoms and harmful cannabis use. The mediation model provided new details on how anxious-depressive symptoms, rumination and NU might lead to harmful cannabis use via regulation of cannabis use. Limited self-regulation capacities and similarities between emotion and cannabis use regulation processes might explain the identified indirect effects.

Emotion-driven problem behaviour: The predictive utility of positive and negative urgency

Impulsive urgency describes the tendency to act rashly when experiencing extreme emotions. This Australian study aimed to investigate the predictive utility of impulsivity, including impulsive urgency (positive and negative), across a range of problem behaviours. Data from two community samples, one retrospective (n = 281) and one current (n = 604), were analysed using hierarchical regression to determine which facets of impulsivity, as assessed with a comprehensive scale (i.e. negative urgency, positive urgency, lack or premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking), best predicted a series of problem behaviours (i.e. problem gambling, disorderly alcohol use, online gambling disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder behaviours, and social media addiction). The impulsive urgency facets were shown to be significant predictors across the behaviours examined. More specifically, negative urgency was the strongest predictor of disorderly alcohol use, obsessive-compulsive disorder behaviours, and social media addiction. Positive urgency was associated with problem gambling and online gambling disorder behaviours. These findings suggest that impulsive urgency is a key contributing factor in many behavioural problems and that the valence of the urgency is an important consideration when addressing a broad range of psychopathologies.

Examining the differential effects of latent impulsivity factors on substance use outcomes in African American men

African Americans have elevated substance use-related problems during adulthood despite initiating use later than individuals of other racial/ethnic backgrounds. The present study first validated the structure of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale and then examined impulsivity as a prospective risk factor for future alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco use, as well as generalized substance problems, in African American men. Data were drawn from the African-American Men's Project, which recruited participants (N_WAVE-1 = 504; Mean age_WAVE-1 = 20.7; N_WAVE-3 = 379; Mean age_WAVE-3 = 23.6) from rural counties of Georgia. Participants responded to an adapted version of the UPPS-P at Wave 1. Confirmatory factor analyses determined that a 5-factor model of impulsivity and a 3-factor hierarchical model of impulsivity described the data equally well, in comparison to 1-factor, 4-factor, or bifactor models. This supports that the structure of the abbreviated UPPS-P in African Americans is likely consistent with observations in White, Hispanic/Latino, and admixed samples. Notably, all second-order factors of the UPPS-P are not alike in predicting substance use outcomes when examined jointly in African American men. Only Deficits in Conscientiousness, which is a second-order factor comprised of Lack of Premeditation and Lack of Perseverance, affected whether individuals met any criteria for future substance use problems. Our findings provide novel insight into the relationship between impulsivity and substance involvement during emerging adulthood in African American men.

The negative consequences of hypersexuality: Revisiting the factor structure of the Hypersexual Behavior Consequences Scale and its correlates in a large, non-clinical sample

Introduction

Despite the growing literature about hypersexuality and its negative consequences, most studies have focused on the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), resulting in relatively few studies about the nature and the measurement of a broader spectrum of adverse consequences.

Methods

The aim of the present study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Hypersexual Behavior Consequence Scale (HBCS) in a large, non-clinical population (N = 16,935 participants; females = 5854, 34.6%; M_age = 33.6, SD_age = 11.1) and identify its factor structure across genders. The dataset was divided into three independent samples, taking into consideration gender ratio. The validity of the HBCS was investigated in relation to sexuality-related questions (e.g., frequency of pornography use) and the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (Sample 3).

Results

Both the exploratory (Sample 1) and confirmatory (Sample 2) factor analyses (CFI = 0.954, TLI = 0.948, RMSEA = 0.061 [90% CI = 0.059–0.062]) suggested a first-order, four-factor structure that included work-related problems, personal problems, relationship problems, and risky behavior as a result of hypersexuality. The HBCS showed adequate reliability and demonstrated reasonable associations with the examined theoretically relevant correlates, corroborating the validity of the HBCS.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that the HBCS may be used to assess consequences of hypersexuality. It may also be used in clinical settings to assess the severity of hypersexuality and to map potential areas of impairment, and such information may help guide therapeutic interventions.

Reliability and validity of a short Japanese version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale

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A Japanese version of the S-UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale is needed.

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The original five-factor model had the best conformity index in all models.

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The five scales’ α coefficient and the test-retest reliability were high.

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The convergent validity of the five scales with personality scales was supported.

Objective

This study aimed to verify the reliability and validity of a Japanese version of the S-UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. This is expected to facilitate comparisons of findings between international and Japanese samples in studies of impulsivity.

Methods

Two surveys were conducted. In the first survey, 632 participants, aged 20–44 years old, completed a translated version of the Japanese S-UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, the Motor Impulsiveness Scale, a short form of the Big-Five scale, the short Grit scale, and the brief version of the self-control scale. Two weeks later, the second survey containing the S-UPPS-P and the motor impulsiveness scale were completed by 450 participants who had completed the first survey to examine test-retest reliability.

Results

In the first survey, an exploratory factor analysis was performed on the S-UPPS-P responses. A four-factor solution was the most suitable solution, with the factors of “Lack of Perseverance,” “Lack of Premeditation,” “Sensation Seeking,” and “Negative-Positive Urgency.” Then, a confirmatory factor analysis was performed. The conformity index of the original five-factor model was slightly better than that of the four-factor model. We also compared the five-factor model’s conformity index with three other models that had been examined in the original and other foreign language versions of the S-UPPS-P. The five-interrelated factor model had the best model fit. The reliability of the five scales was confirmed. The scales exhibited internal consistency with α coefficients ranging from 0.65 to 0.79, in addition to the test-retest reliability ranging from 0.74 to 0.80. The convergent validity of each S-UPPS-P scale was supported by high relationships with the four personality scales, with the highest correlation coefficients ranging from 0.37 to −0.67.

Conclusion

The reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the S-UPPS-P were confirmed, despite the minor limitations of the exploratory factor analysis providing a four-factor solution instead of a five-factor solution, and the α reliability coefficients of two scales being acceptable but rather low. Thus, comparisons of findings between international and Japanese studies on impulsivity could be facilitated.

An Investigation of Alternative Factor Models of Impulsivity using the UPPS-P

The UPPS-P measures impulsivity as a five-factor construct (lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, positive urgency, negative urgency and sensation seeking). Drawing on a number of theoretical considerations and alternative conceptions of impulsivity, the current study used confirmatory factor analysis (N = 1635) and multiple regression to evaluate and test alternative models comprising three, five, and a hierarchical model containing latent factors. The five factor and hierarchical models were shown to be valid and of near identical fit, whereas the three-factor model fit the data poorly. The current findings suggest that both the five factor and hierarchical models are useful applications of the UPPS-P. Depending on the purpose of future research, both models demonstrate utility in both risk assessment and treatment development. Multiple regression analysis revealed that positive urgency predicted problem gambling, which supports the predictive utility of impulsivity as a five-factor construct. While the latent factors of the hierarchical model are consistent with emerging theory, those using the UPPS-P should not overlook the unique contributions of the five factors. As the current study found meaningful predictive distinctions between positive and negative urgency, utilizing all five factors may increase measurement sensitivity and predictive utility.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese SUPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale: Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Across Gender and Age

Objective: Impulsivity is widely recognized as a risk factor for a variety of mental disorders and problematic behaviors. The Short UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (SUPPS-P) is an extensively used instrument to measure impulsivity in research and clinical settings. The current study primarily aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the SUPPS-P (C-SUPPS-P) among Chinese adolescents and emerging adults, and then to test its measurement invariance across gender and age. Methods: Data were collected from three vocational high schools and six colleges in Changsha, China. A total of 2,551 participants (20.1% male and 22.6% adolescents) completed the C-SUPPS-P and scales assessing addictive and problematic smartphone use, as well as emotional symptoms (anxiety, stress, depression). Four alternative models were examined and compared by using confirmatory factor analysis to determine the best factor structure of the C-SUPPS-P. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were used to test measurement invariance across gender and age. Results: A theory-driven five-factor structure consistent with the original scale was identified. All of the subscales had good internal consistency. The correlations observed with the other scales supported the construct validity of the C-SUPPS-P. Full measurement invariance was established across gender and age, and significant gender and age differences according to impulsivity facets were identified. Conclusions: The C-SUPPS-P presents a consistent factor structure, as well as reliability and validity that are equivalent to those of the original scale. The full measurement invariance shown across gender and age allows for intergroup comparisons. Overall, the C-SUPPS-P is a promising instrument to measure various impulsivity traits in Chinese adolescents and emerging adults.

Revisiting the Role of Impulsivity and Compulsivity in Problematic Sexual Behaviors

Impulsivity and compulsivity are transdiagnostic features associated with clinically relevant aspects of psychiatric disorders, including addictions. However, little research has investigated how impulsivity and compulsivity relate to hypersexuality and problematic pornography use. Thus, the aims of the present study were to investigate (a) self-reported impulsivity and compulsivity with respect to hypersexuality and problematic pornography use and (b) the similarities and possible differences between hypersexuality and problematic pornography use in these domains. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) in a large community sample (N = 13,778 participants; female = 4,151, 30.1%), results indicated that impulsivity (β = .28, β = .26) and compulsivity (β = .23, β = .14) were weakly related to problematic pornography use among men and women, respectively. Impulsivity had a stronger relationship (β = .41, β = .42) with hypersexuality than did compulsivity (β = .21, β = .16) among men and women, respectively. Consequently, impulsivity and compulsivity may not contribute as substantially to problematic pornography use as some scholars have proposed. On the other hand, impulsivity might have a more prominent role in hypersexuality than in problematic pornography use. Future research should examine further social and situational factors associated with problematic pornography use.

On the Determinants and Outcomes of Passion for Playing Pokémon Go

In 2016, Pokémon Go became the most popular smartphone game. Despite the increasing popularity of this augmented reality game, to date, no studies have investigated passion for playing Pokémon Go. On the theoretical basis of the Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP), our goal was to investigate the associations between Pokémon Go playing motives, passion, and impulsivity. A total of 621 Pokémon Go players participated in the study (54.9% female; M_age = 22.6 years, SD_age = 4.4). It was found that impulsivity was more strongly associated with obsessive passion (OP) than with harmonious passion (HP). HP was associated with adaptive motives (i.e., outdoor activity, social, recreation, and nostalgia), while OP was associated with less adaptive motives (i.e., fantasy, escape, boredom, competition, and coping). Therefore, in line with the DMP, HP and OP for playing Pokémon Go can predict an almost perfectly distinguished set of adaptive or maladaptive playing motives, and OP has a noteworthy relationship with impulsivity as a determinant.