UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale Research Articles

Correlates and predictors of impulsivity in adults with methamphetamine use disorder

ABSTRACTImpulsivity is known to increase the likelihood of using stimulant drugs which in turn may increase impulsivity, leading to potentially hazardous use. However, little research has been conducted on impulsivity in methamphetamine (MA) users. In this case-control cross-sectional study, 54 adults with MA use disorder (MUD) were compared to 52 matched healthy control (HC) participants using the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P). Demographic and clinical correlates and predictors of impulsivity in MUD participants were also investigated. Our findings indicate that the MUD cohort had significantly increased impulsivity (p < 0.01) compared to the HCs. In the MUD cohort, the UPPS-P total score was also positively correlated with the number of comorbid mental disorders (r = 0.29, p = 0.04), and degree of family impairment (r = 0.37, p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the level of family impairment associated with MUD was significantly associated with impulsivity, explaining 16% of the variance (R2 = .16, F(2,51) = 4.88, p = .01). Understanding the clinical correlates and predictors of impulsivity in MUD may inform prevention, early identification, and intervention.

Measurement Invariance of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale Across Age and Sex Across the Adult Life Span.

Impulsive personality is a widely used construct for the prediction of multiple clinical problems; however, research has often disregarded important differences in its conceptualization and measurement across age and sex. The goals of this article are to test the invariance of, to compare mean differences in, and to examine the differential validity of the Urgency (negative), Premeditation (lack of), Perseverance (lack of), Sensation Seeking, with added subscale of Positive Urgency (UPPS-P) Impulsive Behavior Scale across adult age and sex. The data for this study were obtained from 799 participants in the Nathan Kline Institute's Rockland Sample. Multigroup invariance analysis indicated full invariance of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale across age and sex. However, invariance analysis as a function of age using Multiple-Indicators Multiple-Causes modeling identified three items with differential item functioning. Sensation Seeking was higher in males and lower as age increased. In general, age and sex did not moderate the relationships between UPPS-P traits and risk-taking behaviors, with the exception of cannabis use. Overall, the results of this study support that the UPPS-P scale can be validly used to assess and compare impulsive personality across the adult life span and sex. We suggest the removal of Items 5, 28, and 51 when using the UPPS-P with older adults to be overly cautious to age invariance effects.

Impulsivity and body fat accumulation are linked to cortical and subcortical brain volumes among adolescents and adults

Obesity is associated not only with metabolic and physical health conditions, but with individual variations in cognition and brain health. This study examined the association between body fat (an index of excess weight severity), impulsivity (a vulnerability factor for obesity), and brain structure among adolescents and adults across the body mass index (BMI) spectrum. We used 3D T1 weighted anatomic magnetic resonance imaging scans to map the association between body fat and volumes in regions associated with obesity and impulsivity. Participants were 127 individuals (BMI: 18–40 kg/m2; M = 25.69 ± 5.15), aged 14 to 45 years (M = 24.79 ± 9.60; female = 64). Body fat was measured with bioelectric impendence technology, while impulsivity was measured with the UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviour Scale. Results showed that higher body fat was associated with larger cerebellar white matter, medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and nucleus accumbens volume, although the latter finding was specific to adolescents. The relationship between body fat and medial OFC volume was moderated by impulsivity. Elevated impulsivity was also associated with smaller amygdala and larger frontal pole volumes. Our findings link vulnerability and severity markers of obesity with neuroanatomical measures of frontal, limbic and cerebellar structures, and unravel specific links between body fat and striatal volume in adolescence.

Genome-Wide Association Studies of Impulsive Personality Traits (BIS-11 and UPPS-P) and Drug Experimentation in up to 22,861 Adult Research Participants Identify Loci in the CACNA1I and CADM2 genes.

Impulsive personality traits are complex heritable traits that are governed by frontal-subcortical circuits and are associated with numerous neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly drug abuse and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In collaboration with the genetics company 23andMe, we performed 10 genome-wide association studies on measures of impulsive personality traits [the short version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11)] and drug experimentation (the number of drug classes an individual had tried in their lifetime) in up to 22,861 male and female adult human research participants of European ancestry. Impulsive personality traits and drug experimentation showed single nucleotide polymorphism heritabilities that ranged from 5 to 11%. Genetic variants in the CADM2 locus were significantly associated with UPPS-P Sensation Seeking (p = 8.3 × 10-9, rs139528938) and showed a suggestive association with Drug Experimentation (p = 3.0 × 10-7, rs2163971; r2 = 0.68 with rs139528938). Furthermore, genetic variants in the CACNA1I locus were significantly associated with UPPS-P Negative Urgency (p = 3.8 × 10-8; rs199694726). The role of these genes was supported by single variant, gene- and transcriptome-based analyses. Multiple subscales from both UPPS-P and BIS showed strong genetic correlations (>0.5) with Drug Experimentation and other substance use traits measured in independent cohorts, including smoking initiation, and lifetime cannabis use. Several UPPS-P and BIS subscales were genetically correlated with ADHD (rg = 0.30-0.51), supporting their validity as endophenotypes. Our findings demonstrate a role for common genetic contributions to individual differences in impulsivity. Furthermore, our study is the first to provide a genetic dissection of the relationship between different types of impulsive personality traits and various psychiatric disorders.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Impulsive personality traits (IPTs) are heritable traits that are governed by frontal-subcortical circuits and are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly substance use disorders. We have performed genome-wide association studies of IPTs to identify regions and genes that account for this heritable variation. IPTs and drug experimentation were modestly heritable (5-11%). We identified an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in CADM2 and both sensation seeking and drug experimentation; and between variants in CACNA1I and negative urgency. The role of these genes was supported by single variant, gene- and transcriptome-based analyses. This study provides evidence that impulsivity can be genetically separated into distinct components. We showed that IPT are genetically associated with substance use and ADHD, suggesting impulsivity is an endophenotype contributing to these psychiatric conditions.

Dimensions of Impulsivity in Healthy People, Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder, and Patients with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: Impulsivity, observed in patients with various psychiatric disorders, is a heterogeneous construct with different behavioral manifestations. Through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), this study tests hypotheses about relationships between dimensions of impulsivity measured using personality questionnaires and behavioral tests. Method: The study included 200 healthy people, 40 patients with borderline personality disorder, and 26 patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who underwent a comprehensive impulsivity test battery including the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, a Go-NoGo task, a stop-signal task, and a delay discounting task. Results: A CFA model comprising three self-reported and three behavioral latent variables reached a good fit. Both patient groups scored higher in the self-reported dimensions and impulsive choice; only the ADHD patients displayed impaired waiting and stopping impulsivity. Conclusions: Using the developed CFA model, it is possible to describe relations between impulsivity dimensions and show different impulsivity patterns in patient populations.

A preliminary investigation of impulsivity, aggression and white matter in patients with bipolar disorder and a suicide attempt history

BackgroundImpulsivity and aggression may be associated with suicide attempts in bipolar disorder (BD), but findings have been inconsistent. Abnormalities in anterior white matter tracts that project to the frontal lobes mediate top-down regulation of emotion and may contribute to this clinical phenomenology. MethodsWe assessed white matter (i.e., fractional anisotropy) in anterior and posterior brain regions using diffusion tensor imaging in 18 patients with BD and no prior suicide attempt (BD-S), 12 patients with BD and a prior suicide attempt (BD+S), and 12 healthy volunteers. Patients completed the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Positive Urgency (UPPS-P) Impulsive Behavior Scale and Impulsive Premeditated Aggression Scale (IPAS). All individuals completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). ResultsPatients with BD+S had higher overall impulsivity (assessed using both the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale and BIS-11) and premeditated aggression compared to patients with BD-S. There were no significant group differences on measures of fractional anisotropy (FA). In patients with BD+S, however, higher FA in the anterior (but not the posterior) brain regions correlated with greater overall impulsivity on the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. There were no significant correlations between either anterior or posterior brain regions with clinical measures in patients with BD-S. LimitationsCross-sectional study, sample size and possible contribution of psychotropic medications. ConclusionImpulsivity and aggression may be risk factors for a suicide attempt in BD. White matter in the anterior limb of the internal capsule and anterior corona radiata may play a role in this phenomenology.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF TIME PERCEPTION AND IMPULSIVENESS OF UKRAINIAN STUDENTS

Identifying the relationship between characteristics of the individual perception of time and the personality trait of impulsivity is the problem this study is devoted to. The aim of the study is to analyze the relationships between the various components of impulsiveness as a personality trait and the characteristics of an individual minute (IM) taking into account age and gender in a sample of Ukrainian university students (62 participants aged 17-22; 11 of them are men). To assess the features of time perception, the IM method was used according to F. Halberg. As the characteristics of MI, we used the mean and standard deviation for three consecutive measurements of IM and the average error of subjective time relative to objective one in percent. Impulsivity was measured using the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale test in the Ukrainian adaptation, which reveals 5 indicators of impulsivity: negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. For Ukrainian students, impulsivity indicators correspond to the average norms of the French sample. The mean IM is 61.3 seconds and it is in the range of 36-88 seconds, the standard deviation of 3 IM measurements is 8 seconds, the average error of the subjective time relatively to the objective one was 9%. An inverse relationship between the mean duration of IM and the impulsivity index “positive urgency” was revealed. A direct relationship between the variability of the IM, the average error of the IM in percent and the impulsivity index “lack of perseverance” was also revealed. There are no signifiant differences in the mean duration of IM between men and women. At the same time, women have a signifiantly higher variability in time estimation – the standard deviation of IM is signifiantly greater in them than in men. By the characteristics of the impulsiveness, women have a signifiantly higher indicator of positive urgency than men. Age-related differences in the features of perception of time and impulsivity were not found. It will be worth to study relations of IM with other personality peculiarities such as Big Five traits and temperament types. This would give us more insights about diagnostical usefulness of IM measurements as proxy between physiological and psychological conditions of people.

Impulsivity and problem awareness predict therapy compliance and dropout from treatment for gambling disorder.

This study investigates the predictive value of impulsivity traits (as measured by the UPPS-P impulsive behaviour scale) and relevant covariates (sociodemographics, gambling severity, dysphoric mood, other potentially addictive behaviours, and non-verbal intelligence) with regard to treatment dropout and level of adherence to therapy guidelines and instructions in patients with gambling disorder. Sixty-six patients seeking treatment for gambling disorder, and recruited to participate in a larger protocol (G-Brain), were initially assessed in impulsivity traits and relevant covariates in the first six months after admission. Of these, 24 patients dropped out (DO) and 42 patients remained in therapy (NDO) during the subsequent 6-month follow-up period. A multivariate analysis of impulsivity subscales suggested prospective differences between DO and NDO, with affect-driven dimensions (positive and negative urgency) seemingly driving these differences. Among these, only positive urgency independently predicted a slight increase in the drop-out probability. In the NDO group, a higher degree of adherence to therapy was independently predicted by lower sensation-seeking scores and stronger awareness of gambling-related problems. Results suggest the presence of affect-driven impulsivity traits as dropout predictors in patients with gambling disorder. Awareness of gambling-related problems and lower sensation-seeking enhanced compliance with therapeutic guidelines and instructions.

Negative urgency partially accounts for the relationship between major depressive disorder and marijuana problems

BackgroundTo goal of this study was to better understand mechanisms underlying associations between Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and marijuana use and problems. Specifically, it was hypothesized that negative urgency (NU), the tendency to act rashly while experiencing negative mood states, would uniquely (compared to other impulsivity traits: positive urgency, sensation seeking, premeditation, and perseverance) account for the relationship between MDD and marijuana use and problems.MethodsData were collected from a sample (N = 357) of veterans (M age = 33.63) recruited from a Veterans Affairs hospital who used marijuana at least once in their lifetime. Participants completed the SCID-NP to assess MDD, a marijuana problems scale, a Time-Line Follow-back to assess six-month marijuana use, and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale for impulsivity.ResultsPath analysis was conducted using bootstrapped (k = 20,000) and bias-corrected 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to estimate mediation (indirect) effects, controlling for age, sex, and race. Analyses revealed a significant direct effect of MDD on NU and NU on marijuana problems. Regarding mediational analyses, there was a significant indirect effect of MDD on marijuana problems via NU. The direct effect of MDD on marijuana problems was reduced, but remained significant, suggesting partial mediation. No other impulsivity scales accounted for the relationship between MDD and marijuana problems. In predicting marijuana use, there were no significant indirect effects for any impulsivity traits, including NU, despite significant bivariate associations between use and NU and MDD.ConclusionsResults suggest that high levels of NU may partially explain associations between MDD and marijuana problems, but not marijuana use. No other facets of impulsivity accounted for the relationship between MDD and marijuana use or problems, underscoring the specificity of NU as a putative mechanism and the importance of assessing NU in treatment settings.

Negative urgency moderates reactivity to laboratory stress inductions.

Impulsive personality traits refer to a group of self-reported dispositions about self-regulatory capacity, several of which have been linked to diverse forms of psychopathology. One of these is negative urgency (NUR), the propensity to act out when experiencing negative emotions, which has been linked to substance use disorders and eating disorders. However, few laboratory studies have investigated the extent to which self-reported NUR relates to an individual's in vivo emotional and behavioral responses. Harmonizing two archival data sets on alcohol and high-energy-dense (HED) food motivation, the current study investigated NUR as a moderator of reactivity to stressful situations elicited by two commonly used stress manipulations, the Trier Social Stress Test and a stress imagery induction. A sample of 148 adults was assessed for NUR, severity of alcohol misuse or binge eating, and measures of negative affect and psychophysiological arousal (i.e., heart rate and blood pressure) prior to and following one of the two manipulations. In addition, a behavioral multiple-choice procedure assessing the relative reinforcing value of alcohol or HED foods followed the manipulations. As predicted, NUR positively moderated the effects of stress induction on self-reported negative affect and relative reinforcing value, although not arousal. Individuals exhibiting elevated NUR also exhibited greater alcohol misuse, although not greater binge eating severity. These findings provide in vivo validation of the construct of NUR and its measurement using the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. More broadly, these findings inform the understanding of deficits that are characteristic of self-regulatory disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record

Validation of a short Korean version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale.

The purpose of the present study was to validate a Korean version of the short UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P). This study included 724 undergraduate students who completed the following questionnaires: the Korean UPPS-P, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Eating Disorder Inventory-2, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and Canadian Problem Gambling Index. A confirmatory factor analysis supported a 5-factor interrelated model. The internal consistency coefficients for the 5 factors of the short Korean UPPS-P were acceptable (.65-.78 across the subscales), and the subscales of the short Korean UPPS-P were strongly correlated with the long UPPS-P subscales. External validity was demonstrated by associations between the subfactors of impulsivity and various psychopathologies, including depression, anxiety, binge eating, alcohol abuse, and gambling. The present results indicate that the short Korean version of the UPPS-P may be a useful and reliable alternative to the original long-form UPPS-P.

Impulsivity profiles in pathological slot machine gamblers

IntroductionIn gambling disorder (GD), impulsivity has been related with severity, treatment outcome and a greater dropout rate. The aim of the study is to obtain an empirical classification of GD patients based on their impulsivity and compare the resulting groups in terms of sociodemographic, clinical and gambling behavior variables. Methods126 patients with slot machine GD attending the Pathological Gambling Unit between 2013 and 2016 were included. The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale was used to assess impulsivity, and the severity of past-year gambling behavior was established with the Screen for Gambling problems questionnaire (NODS). Depression and anxiety symptoms and executive function were also assessed. A two-step cluster analysis was carried out to determine impulsivity profiles. ResultsAccording to the UPPS-P data, two clusters were generated. Cluster 1 showed the highest scores on all the UPPS-P subscales, whereas patients from cluster 2 exhibited only high scores on two UPPS-P subscales: Negative Urgency and Lack of premeditation. Additionally, patients on cluster 1 were younger and showed significantly higher scores on the Beck Depression Inventory and on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaires, worse emotional regulation and executive functioning, and reported more psychiatric comorbidity compared to patients in cluster 2. With regard to gambling behavior, cluster 1 patients had significantly higher NODS scores and a higher percentage presented active gambling behavior at treatment start than in cluster 2. ConclusionsWe found two impulsivity subtypes of slot machine gamblers. Patients with high impulsivity showed more severe gambling behavior, more clinical psychopathology and worse emotional regulation and executive functioning than those with lower levels of impulsivity. These two different clinical profiles may require different therapeutic approaches.

Resting beta activation and trait motivation: Neurophysiological markers of motivated motor-action preparation

Based on Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (Gray and McNaughton 2000), human behavior is influenced by systems of approach motivation, avoidance motivation, and a third regulatory system presiding over the other two. These systems mediate action and are likely related to neurophysiological markers of motor-action preparation. Previous research has found that lower levels of beta activity over the motor cortex are associated with greater motor-action preparation. The current study sought to test whether trait approach, avoidance, and regulatory control would relate to resting beta activity over the motor cortex, a measure of motor-action preparation. One hundred twenty-eight individuals completed measures of trait behavioral approach motivation and trait behavioral avoidance motivation (BIS/BAS; Carver and White 1994), as well as regulatory control (UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviour Scale; Whiteside et al. 2005). Then, resting EEG was recorded. Greater trait approach was negatively associated with resting beta activity. In contrast, greater trait impulsivity was associated with greater resting beta activity. Lower levels of resting beta activity in the motor cortex appear to be associated with traits related to deliberate motivated motor behaviors. Trait motor-action preparation seems to be an indicator of tendencies toward planful motivated behavior.

Testing measurement invariance of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale in Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic/Latino college students.

The National Institutes of Health's (NIH) PhenX Toolkit has recognized the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale as a recommended measure of impulsive dispositions, as this framework for impulsivity-like traits has demonstrated strong psychometric properties across a variety of samples and exhibited measurement and structural invariance across males and females. Impulsivity-like facets, as assessed by this measure, have also demonstrated robust relations to alcohol and substance use. However, racial and ethnic differences in impulsivity have largely been neglected in the literature. Thus, the current study sought to test measurement invariance on the UPPS-P across Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic/Latino college students and determine whether ethnicity moderates the relations between impulsivity-like facets and alcohol and other substance use endorsement. Results indicated that the UPPS-P is invariant between groups in this sample, which suggests that scale scores on this measure can be reliably compared across Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic/Latino individuals. There were no significant differences in impulsivity-like facets across groups; however, non-Hispanic/Latino individuals who were higher in sensation seeking exhibited increased log-odds of endorsing past-month smokeless tobacco use. Finally, impulsivity-like facets were significantly and differentially related to substance use outcomes, which support findings from previous studies. This research highlights the importance of examining impulsivity-like traits and substance use among Hispanic/Latino individuals, and provides evidence that the UPPS-P can be reliably and validly interpreted when testing differences between Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic/Latino groups. (PsycINFO Database Record

Examining Approval and Social Norms as Proximal Predictors of the Impulsivity-Cannabis Use Relation

Cannabis is a commonly used substance among college students and is associated with a host of negative consequences. Psychosocial variables (e.g., social norms, attitudes, and impulsivity) may explain individual differences regarding the increased cannabis use in recent years. Attitudes, social norms, and broadband impulsivity have demonstrated consistent, independent relations with increased cannabis use; however, relations among approval and social norms, narrowband impulsivity, and cannabis use remain elusive. The current study (N = 718) examined approval (i.e., approval of peer cannabis use) and social norms as proximal predictors of impulsivity-cannabis use relations among college students across models of varying multivariate complexity. Results from simpler multivariate models indicated that indirect effects of impulsivity-like facets, as assessed by the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, were statistically significant for all models via approval, descriptive norms, and injunctive norms. In general, individuals higher in impulsivity-like facets reported more positive attitudes or more perceived use or approval by friends, which, in turn, was associated with more cannabis use. Differential relations emerged for the complex multivariate mediation model, such that approval exhibited the most consistent unique mediation effect. Multi-group analyses by gender revealed an indirect effect of sensation seeking via descriptive norms stronger for males than females. Consistent with the alcohol literature, this research highlights the importance of examining approval and social norms as proximal predictors of cannabis use, particularly as it is relevant for developing efficacious clinical interventions to reduce cannabis use by employing personalized normative feedback. DOI: 10.26828/cannabis.2018.01.005

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

Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct playing a pervasive role in psychiatry and neuropsychology. Lynam et al. (2006) have developed the 59-item UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, which assesses five distinct impulsivity dimensions: positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation, and sensation seeking. The short, 20-item version of the UPPS-P (SUPPS-P; Billieux et al. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 53(5), 609–615, 2012) has been developed and adapted into several languages, including English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. The aim of the present study was to test four theoretical models of the SUPPS-P in a large sample of Hungarian adults. A total of 15,703 participants (64.76% male; M age = 33.42 years, SD = 11.06) completed the SUPPS-P using an online questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analyses corroborated the first-order five-factor model of impulsivity and a hierarchical model representing three higher-order constructs (urgency, lack of conscientiousness, sensation seeking), whereas the one-factor and three-factor model were not supported. The factor structure of the SUPPS-P preserved the original, theory-driven structure of the UPPS-P model and this instrument demonstrated good internal consistency. Hypersexual behavior consequences were positively associated with most SUPPS-P components, thus criterion validity was also supported. The SUPPS-P had strong psychometric properties that reflected the theoretical structure of the original UPPS-P model, thus it constitutes a theoretically grounded and time saving multidimensional instrument for assessing impulsivity.

Impulsivity in unaffected adolescent biological relatives of schizophrenia patients

ObjectiveAlthough schizophrenia is not a prototypic impulse-control disorder, patients report more impulsive behaviors, have higher rates of substance use, and show dysfunction in brain circuits that underlie impulsivity. We investigate impulsivity in unaffected biological relatives of schizophrenia patients to further understand the relationships between schizophrenia risk and impulse control during adolescence. MethodGroup differences in impulsivity (UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale and delay discounting) were tested in 210 adolescents contrasting 39 first- and 53 second-degree biological relatives of schizophrenia patients, and 118 subjects with no schizophrenia family history (NSFH). ResultsCompared to NSFH adolescents and to second-degree relatives, first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients had increased impulsivity-related behaviors (higher UPPS-P Perseverance, Positive Urgency and Premeditation subscale scores) and greater preference for immediate rewards (smaller AUC and larger discounting constant). Second-degree relatives did not differ significantly from NSFH adolescents on self-report impulsive behaviors or on measures of impulsive decision-making. These group differences remained even after careful consideration of potential confounding factors. ConclusionImpulsivity is associated with schizophrenia risk, and its severity increases with greater familial relatedness to the schizophrenia proband. Additional studies are needed to understand the role impulsivity may play in mediating schizophrenia susceptibility during adolescence.

Established risk factors for addiction fail to discriminate between healthy gamers and gamers endorsing DSM-5 Internet gaming disorder.

Background and aimsThe DSM-5 includes criteria for diagnosing Internet gaming disorder (IGD) that are adapted from substance abuse and widely used in research and clinical contexts, although evidence supporting their validity remains scarce. This study compared online gamers who do or do not endorse IGD criteria regarding self-control-related abilities (impulsivity, inhibitory control, and decision-making), considered the hallmarks of addictive behaviors.MethodA double approach was adopted to distinguish pathological from recreational gamers: The first is the classic DSM-5 approach (≥5 criteria required to endorse the IGD diagnosis), and the second consists in using latent class analysis (LCA) for IGD criteria to distinguish gamers’ subgroups. We computed comparisons separately for each approach. Ninety-seven volunteer gamers from the community were recruited. Self-reported questionnaires were used to measure demographic- and game-related characteristics, problematic online gaming (with the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire), impulsivity (with the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale), and depression (with the Beck Depression Inventory-II). Experimental tasks were used to measure inhibitory control (Hybrid-Stop Task) and decision-making abilities (Game of Dice Task).ResultsThirty-two participants met IGD criteria (33% of the sample), whereas LCA identified two groups of gamers [pathological (35%) and recreational]. Comparisons that used both approaches (DSM-5 and LCA) failed to identify significant differences regarding all constructs except for variables related to actual or problematic gaming behaviors.DiscussionThe validity of IGD criteria is questioned, mostly with respect to their relevance in distinguishing high engagement from pathological involvement in video games.

Genetic analysis of impulsive personality traits: Examination of a priori candidates and genome-wide variation

Impulsive personality traits are heritable risk factors and putative endophenotypes for addiction and other psychiatric disorders involving disinhibition. This study examined the genetic basis of impulsive personality traits, defined as scores on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P). In 983 healthy young adults of European ancestry, the study examined genetic variation in relation to a combined phenotype of seven subscales based on high phenotypic intercorrelations. The study first tested 14 a priori loci that have previously been associated impulsive personality traits or closely related constructs. Second, the study included an exploratory genome-wide scan (i.e., GWAS), acknowledging that only relatively large effects would be detectable in a sample size of ~ 1000. A priori SNP analyses revealed a significant association between the combined impulsivity phenotype and two SNPs within the 5-HT2a receptor gene (HTR2A; rs6313 and rs6311). Follow-up analyses suggested that the effects were specific to the Motor and Non-planning subscales on the BIS-11, and also that the two loci were in linkage disequilibrium. The GWAS yielded no statistically significant findings. This study further implicates loci within HTR2A with certain forms of self-reported impulsivity and identifies candidates for future investigation from the genome-wide analyses.

The association of emotion-driven impulsiveness, cognitive inflexibility and decision-making with weight status in European adolescents.

To explore the association between emotion-driven impulsiveness, cognitive inflexibility, decision-making and weight status as reflected in body mass index (BMI) z-score (zBMI) in European adolescents. In total, 3354 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years from the I.Family cohort completed the questionnaire-based negative urgency subscale from the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale to measure emotion-driven impulsiveness in 2013/2014. Furthermore, 1584 adolescents completed the computer-based Bergs Card Sorting Test to measure cognitive inflexibility, and 1780 adolescents completed the Hungry Donkey Test to assess decision-making ability. Anthropometric variables were measured objectively; confounding variables (age, sex, socioeconomic status and country) were assessed using a questionnaire. Mixed-effect regression analyses were conducted for each outcome of the test or questionnaire as a predictor with standardised BMI (zBMI) as the dependent variable in order to investigate association between markers of cognitive functioning and zBMI. After controlling for confounders, results showed that emotion-driven impulsiveness (β=0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.13 to 0.24, P<0.001) and cognitive inflexibility (β=0.01, 95% CI: 0.002 to 0.02, P=0.016) were positively associated with zBMI. However, decision-making ability was not significantly related to zBMI (β=0.001, 95% CI: -0.001 to 0.003, P=0.47). More emotion-driven impulsiveness and reduced cognitive flexibility were associated with a higher zBMI in adolescents across Europe. These results may indicate that being impulsive in negative situations and having difficulties changing mental sets increase the susceptibility for unhealthy weight development. Reducing impulsivity and training cognitive flexibility seem promising targets for the prevention and intervention programmes of obesity.