Assessing Impulsivity in Adolescents: Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Short S-UPPS-P
PDF

Keywords

Adolescents
Impulsivity
Normative data
S-UPPS-P
Validation Adolescencia
Impulsividad
Baremos
S-UPPS-P
Validación

How to Cite

Montasell-Jordana, E., Penelo, E., Blanco-Hinojo, L., Lanceta, B., Gomàriz-Camacho, L., Gràcia, M., Soler, A., Pujol, J., & Deus, J. (2026). Assessing Impulsivity in Adolescents: Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Short S-UPPS-P. Psicothema, 38(1), 36–45. Retrieved from https://reunido.uniovi.es/index.php/PST/article/view/24313

Abstract

Background: The short S-UPPS-P is a 20-item self-report tool for assessing impulsivity in adolescents, differentiating five dimensions: Negative Urgency, Lack of Perseverance, Lack of Premeditation, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish S-UPPS-P and to establish normative data for adolescents in Spain. Method: Participants were 8,944 adolescent students (ages 11–19) from 66 high schools and 789 adolescent psychotherapy patients from 7 centers. Results: The expected 5-factor model, evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), showed insufficient fit (CFI and TLI ≤ .90, RMSEA = .076). However, an exploratory approach yielded satisfactory results (CFI and TLI ≥ .97, RMSEA ≤ .036), with full measurement invariance across age, gender and sample type. Internal consistency reliability ranged from moderate to excellent (ω = .67–.82). Convergent validity with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale total score was satisfactory (r = .47–.59). No significant differences in scale scores were observed across gender, age, or sample type, providing the use of a single norm. Conclusions: These findings support the S-UPPS-P as a valid, reliable tool for assessing impulsivity in Spanish adolescents. The availability of standardized norms
enhances its utility in clinical and educational contexts.

PDF

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Asparouhov, T., & Muthén, B. (2009). Exploratory structural equation modeling. Structural Equation Modeling, 16(3), 397-438. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705510903008204

Bandalos, D. L. (2018). Measurement theory and applications for the social sciences. The Guilford Press

Billieux, J., Rochat, L., Ceschi, G., Carré, A., Offerlin-Meyer, I., Defeldre, A. C., Khazaal, Y., Besche-Richard, C., & Van der Linden, M. (2012). Validation of a short French version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 53(5), 609–615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2011.09.001

Brown, T. A. (2015). Confirmatory factor analysis for applied research (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Cándido, A., Orduna, E., Perales, J. C., Verdejo-García, A. J., & Billieux, J. (2012). Validation of a short Spanish version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behaviour Scale. Trastornos Adictivos, 14(3), 73-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1575-0973(12)70048-X

Caro-Cañizares, I., Brenlla, M. E., Carballo, J. J., Santos, M., Guija, J. A., & Giner, L. (2024). Suicidal behavior and stressful life events: The mediating role of the impulsivity-aggression-hostility triad through psychological autopsy. Psicothema, 36(4), 380-388. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2023.300

Carrera, P., Román, M., Cáceres, I., & Palacios, J. (2024). Internalizing problems in adopted Eastern European adolescents: The role of the informant, early adversity and post-adoption processes. Psicothema, 36(2), 103-112. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2023.152

Carvalho, C. B., Arroz, A. M., Martins, R., Costa, R., Cordeiro, F., & Cabral, J. M. (2023). “Help me control my impulses!”: Adolescent impulsivity and its negative individual, family, peer, and community explanatory factors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 52(12), 2545–2558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-023-01837-z

Chen, F. F. (2007). Sensitivity of goodness of fit indexes to lack of measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 14(3), 464– 504. http://doi.org/10.1080/10705510701301834

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Elrbaum.

Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1985). The NEO Personality Inventory manual. Psychological Assessment Resources.

Cyders, M. A., Smith, G. T., Spillane, N. S., Fischer, S., Annus, A. M., & Peterson, C. (2007). Integration of impulsivity and positive mood to predict risky behavior: Development and validation of a measure of positive urgency. Psychological Assessment, 19(1), 107–118. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.19.1.107

Cyders, M. A., Littlefield, A. K., Coffey, S., & Karyadi, K. A. (2014). Examination of a short English version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. Addictive Behaviors, 39(9), 1372–1376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.02.013

Donati, M. A., Beccari, C., Bacherini, A., Capitanucci, D., & Primi, C. (2021). Psychometric properties of the short UPPS-P scale in adolescents: Gender, age invariance, and validity among italian youth. Addictive Behaviors, 120, 106987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106987

Duell, N., & Steinberg, L. (2019). Positive risk taking in adolescence. Child Development Perspectives, 13(1), 48–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12310

Eray, Ş., Sigirli, D., Yavuz, B. E., Şahin, V., Liu, M., & Cyders, M. A. (2023). Turkish adaptation and validation of the Short-UPPS-P in adolescents and examination of different facets of impulsivity in adolescents with ADHD. Child Neuropsychology, 29(3), 503–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2022.2100338

Ezpeleta, L., & Penelo, E. (2015). Measurement invariance of oppositional defiant disorder dimensions in 3-year-old preschoolers. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 31(1), 45–53. http://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000205

Fisher-Fox, L., Whitener, M., Wu, W., Cyders, M. A., & Zapolski, T. C. B. (2024). Urgency as a predictor of change in emotion dysregulation in adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1451192. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1451192

Fortgang, R. G., & Cannon, T. D. (2022). Cognitive effort and impulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences, 199, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111830

Fossati, A., Barratt, E. S., Acquarini, E., & Di Ceglie, A. (2002). Psychometric properties of an adolescent version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 for a sample of Italian high school students. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 95(2), 621–635. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.2002.95.2.621

Fournier, L., Bőthe, B., Demetrovics, Z., Koós, M., Kraus, S. W., Nagy, L., Potenza, M. N., Ballester-Arnal, R., Batthyány, D., Bergeron, S., Briken, P., Burkauskas, J., Cárdenas-López, G., Carvalho, J., Castro- Calvo, J., Chen, L., Ciocca, G., Corazza, O., Csako, R. I., Fernandez, D. P., … Billieux, J. (2025). 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. Assessment, 32(5), 635–653. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911241259560

Gialdi, G., Somma, A., Borroni, S., & Fossati, A. (2021). Factor structure, measurement invariance across gender sub-groups, and normative data for the Italian translation of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale in Italian community-dwelling adults. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, 9(2), e3004. https://doi.org/10.13129/2282-1619/MJCP-3004

Gomez, R., & Watson, S. (2023). Associations of UPPS-P negative urgency and positive urgency with ADHD dimensions: Moderation by lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance in men and women. Personality and Individual Differences, 206, 112125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112125

Government of Catalonia, Departament Educació, Serveis Educatius. (2022a). Centres educatius de Catalunya [Educational Centers in Catalonia]. https://educacio.gencat.cat/ca/serveis-tramits/directoris-centres/

Government of Catalonia, Departament Educació, Estadistica de l’ensenyament. (2022b). Estadistica d’Inici de curs 2022-2023 [Statistics for the start of the 2022-2023 academic year]. https://educacio.gencat.cat/web/.content/home/departament/estadistiques/estadistiques-ensenyament/estadistica-inici-curs/estadistica-inici-curs.xlsx

Graham, J. W. (2009). Missing data analysis: Making it work in the real world. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 549–576. http://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085530

Haro, J. M., Palacín, C., Vilagut, G., Martínez, M., Bernal, M., Luque, I., Codony, M., Dolz, M., Alonso, J., & Grupo ESEMeD-España (2006). Prevalence of mental disorders and associated factors: Results from the ESEMeD-Spain study. Medicina Clinica, 126(12), 445–451. https://doi.org/10.1157/13086324

Holden, R. R., & Passey, J. (2010). Socially desirable responding in personality assessment: Not necessarily faking and not necessarily substance. Personality and Individual Differences, 49(5), 446–450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.04.015

IDESCAT (Institut d’Estadistica de Catalunya). (2022a). Densitat de població. Comarques i Aran, àmbits i províncies [Population density. Counties and Aran, areas and provinces]. https://www.idescat.cat/indicadors/?id=aec&n=15227

IDESCAT (Institut d’Estadistica de Catalunya). (2022b) Renda familiar disponible bruta territorial [Gross territorial disposable household income]. https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=rfdbc

Jackson, D. L., Gillaspy, J. A., & Purc-Stephenson, R. (2009). Reporting practices in confirmatory factor analysis: An overview and some recommendations. Psychological Methods, 14(1), 6–23. http://doi.org/10.1037/a0014694

Kingdon, D., Cardoso, C., & McGrath, J. J. (2016). Research Review: Executive function deficits in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder - a meta-analysis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 57(2), 116– 131. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12451

Kulendran, M., Patel, K., Darzi, A., & Vlaev, I. (2016). Diagnostic validity of behavioural and psychometric impulsivity measures: An assessment in adolescent and adult populations. Personality and Individual Differences, 90, 347–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.11.026

Littlefield, A. K., Stevens, A. K., Ellingson, J. M., King, K. M., & Jackson, K.M. (2016). Changes in negative urgency, positive urgency, and sensation seeking across adolescence. Personality and Individual Differences, 90, 332–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.11.024

Lynam, D. R., Miller, J. D., Miller, D. J., Bornovalova, M. A., & Lejuez, C. W. (2011). Testing the relations between impulsivity-related traits, suicidality, and nonsuicidal self-injury: A test of the incremental validity of the UPPS model. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 2(2), 151–160. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019978

Lynam, D. R., Smith, G. T., Whiteside, S. P., & Cyders, M. A. (2006). The UPPS–P: Assessing five personality pathways to impulsive behavior (Tech. Rep.). IN: Purdue University.

Mallorquí‐Bagué, N., Testa, G., Lozano‐Madrid, M., Vintró‐Alcaraz, C., Sánchez, I., Riesco, N., Granero, R., Perales, J. C., Navas, J. F., Megías‐Robles, A., Martínez‐Zalacaín, I., Veciana de las Heras, M., Jiménez‐Murcia, S., & Fernández‐Aranda, F. (2020). Emotional and non‐emotional facets of impulsivity in eating disorders: From anorexia nervosa to bulimic spectrum disorders. European Eating Disorders Review, 28(4), 410–422. https://doi.org/10.1002/erv.2734

Martínez-Loredo, V., Fernández-Hermida, J. R., Fernández-Artamendi, S., Carballo, J. L., & García-Rodríguez, O. (2015). Spanish adaptation and validation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale for early adolescents (BIS- 11-A). International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 15(3), 274–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2015.07.002

Mattson, S. N., Bernes, G. A., & Doyle, L. R. (2019). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: A review of the neurobehavioral deficits associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 43(6), 1046–1062. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14040

McDonald, R. P. (1999). Test theory: A unified treatment. Erlbaum.

Meredith, W. (1993). Measurement invariance, factor analysis and factorial invariance. Psychometrika, 58(4), 525–543. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02294825

Miller, D. J., Derefinko, K. J., Lynam, D. R., Milich, R., & Fillmore, M. T. (2010). Impulsivity and Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder: Subtype classification using the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 32(3), 323– 332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-009-9155-z

Montasell-Jordana, E., Penelo, E., Blanco-Hinojo, L., Pujol, J., Billieux, J., & Deus, J. (2025). Psychometric properties and normative data of the Spanish UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale in adolescents. Journal of Personality Assessment, 107(2), 234–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2024.2399184

Omrani, A., Wakefield-Scurr, J., Smith, J., & et al., (2019). Survey development for adolescents aged 11–16 years: A developmental science based guide. Adolescent Research Review, 4(4), 329–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-018-0089-0

Patzelt, E. H., Kool, W., Millner, A. J., & Gershman, S. J. (2019). The transdiagnostic structure of mental effort avoidance. Scientific Reports, 9, 1689. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-37802-1

Pechorro, P., Revilla, R., Palma, V. H., Nunes, C., Martins, C., & Cyders, M. A. (2021). Examination of the SUPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale among male and female youth: Psychometrics and invariance. Children, 8(4), 283. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8040283

Pinto, A. L. de C. B., Garcia, M. S., Godoy, V. P., Loureiro, F. F., da Silva, A. G., & Malloy-Diniz, L. F. (2021). Psychometric properties and normative data of the Brazilian version of UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 2, 100052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2021.100052

Potenza, M. N. (2007). To do or not to do? The complexities of addiction, motivation, self-control, and impulsivity. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(1), 4–6. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2007.164.1.4

Rammstedt, B., & Beierlein, C. (2014). Can’t we make it any shorter? The limits of personality assessment and ways to overcome them. Journal of Individual Differences, 35(4), 212–220. https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000141

Schoenmakers, M., Tijmstra, J., Vermunt, J., & Bolsinova, M. (2024). Correcting for extreme response style: Model choice matters. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 84(1), 145–170. https://doi.org/10.1177/00131644231155838

Smith, G. T., Fischer, S., Cyders, M. A., Annus, A. M., Spillane, N. S., & McCarthy, D. M. (2007). On the validity and utility of discriminating among impulsivity-like traits. Assessment, 14(2), 155–170. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191106295527

Sonmez, A. I., Garcia, J. Q., Thitiseranee, L., Blacker, C. J., & Lewis, C. P. (2024). Scoping review: Transdiagnostic measurement of impulsivity domains in youth using the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scales. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 63(8), 789–812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2024.03.011

Um, M., Hershberger, A. R., Whitt, Z. T., & Cyders, M. A. (2018). Recommendations for applying a multi-dimensional model of impulsive personality to diagnosis and treatment. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 5, 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-018-0084-x

Vandenberg, R. J., & Lance, C. E. (2000). A review and synthesis of the measurement invariance literature: Suggestions, practices, and recommendations for organizational research. Organizational Research Methods, 3(1), 4–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/109442810031002

Verdejo-García, A., Lozano, O., Moya, M., Alcázar, M. A., & Pérez-García, M. (2010). Psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale: reliability, validity and association with trait and cognitive impulsivity. Journal of Personality Assessment, 92(1), 70–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223890903382369

Wagner, D., Mason, S. G., & Eastwood, J. D. (2024). The experience of effort in ADHD: A scoping review. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1349440. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1349440

Wang, Y., Long, J., Liu, Y., Liu, T., & Billieux, J. (2020). Psychometric properties of the Chinese SUPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale: Factor structure and measurement invariance across gender and age. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 529949. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.529949

Whiteside, S. P., & Lynam, D. R. (2001). The Five Factor Model and impulsivity: Using a structural model of personality to understand impulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences, 30(4), 669–689. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00064-7

World Health Organization. (1992). The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders. World Health Organization.

World Health Organization. (2024). Clinical descriptions and diagnostic requirements for ICD-11 mental, behavioural and neurodevelopmental disorders. World Health Organization.

Wu, P.-C. (2025). Stability of response styles in a personality measure: Evidence with clinical adolescents. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 25, 12859. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12859

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.