Assessing impulsivity: Relationships between behavioral and self-report measures in individuals with and without self-reported ADHD

Abstract

The present study examined relationships between self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity, a personality characteristic linked to diagnostic criteria for multiple psychological disorders, in individuals who either self-reported (n=28) or did not self-report (n=147) a history of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Undergraduate student participants completed several self-report measures of impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Impulsive Sensation Seeking subscale, BIS/BAS Scale, Conner's Adult ADHD Rating Scale, and Frontal Systems Behavior Rating Scale) and three behavioral measures of impulsivity (Balloon Analogue Risk Task, Delay Discounting Task, Stroop). A principal components analysis indicated three components encompassing attentional impulsiveness, reward sensitivity, and behavioral and motor impulsiveness; however, none of the behavioral measures factored with the self-report measures. Logistic regressions found attentional impulsiveness to distinguish between individuals with and without a self-reported history of ADHD diagnosis. Impulsivity is a multi-faceted construct, and the utilization of multiple measures, both self-report and behavioral, can aid to more fully and accurately assess the construct in both research and clinical settings.