Validation of a Short French UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale in Patients with Substance use Disorder

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct playing an important role in the development and maintenance of substance use disorders (SUD). The Short French UPPS-P consists of a 20-item scale measuring five impulsivity components: negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. The aim of the present study is to validate this scale in a population suffering from SUD. One hundred twenty-three participants treated in the specialized addiction division of the Geneva University Hospitals completed the short French UPPS-P. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a hierarchical model comprising two higher order factors of urgency (resulting from negative urgency and positive urgency) and lack of conscientiousness (resulting from lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance) as well as a separate factor of sensation seeking. The results indicate acceptable to good internal consistency. The short French version of the UPPS-P in a SUD population presents good psychometric properties and may be considered a promising instrument for both research and clinical practice in SUD population.