Measuring Impulsivity in Children: Adaptation and Validation of a Short Version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviors Scale in Children and Investigation of its Links With ADHD

Abstract

Objective: Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct known to play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of a wide range of problematic behaviors and psychological disorders in children. Method: In this study, we adapted the short French adult version of the UPPS-P (urgency–premeditation–perseverance–sensation seeking–positive urgency) Impulsive Behaviors Scale for use with children (short UPPS-P-C) and tested its psychometric properties. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses conducted on a sample of 425 children (aged 8-14 years) supported the five-factor structure of the scale. Additional analyses emphasized the good internal and test–retest reliability of the short UPPS-P-C. Furthermore, our results also revealed that lack of premeditation, positive urgency, and negative urgency subscales were able to discriminate between children diagnosed with ADHD and their matched controls. Conclusion: These results suggest that the short UPPS-P-C may be considered as a promising time-saving tool to assess impulsivity traits in healthy children and in children with psychiatric disorders.