[Factor structure and validity of a german version of the barratt impulsiveness scale].
OBJECTIVE
Impulsive traits are key characteristics in a number of psychiatric disorders and are part of the normal behavior spectrum. The BIS-5 is an instrument developed to assess impulsivity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the BIS-5 in two German psychiatric inpatient samples and healthy controls proving the originally proposed four-factor structure as well as convergent and discriminate validity.


METHODS
159 alcohol-dependent subjects and 77 suicidal inpatients were recruited in an University psychiatric hospital. 182 healthy subjects were recruited from town community. BIS-5 items were translated and back-translated. Principal component analysis with oblique rotation was conducted in the whole group. Furthermore, the discriminate and convergent validity of the BIS-5 was evaluated by correlation with other instruments measuring impulsive traits and comparing sample subgroups.


RESULTS
A two-factor solution could be identified in this German sample. Alcohol-dependent individuals showed significantly higher factor 1 values compared to suicidal patients. The group of suicidal patients had higher scores in factor 2 compared to controls. Factor 1 correlated most significantly with extraversion-related personality traits while factor 2 showed significant relationships with irritability and neuroticism.


CONCLUSIONS
A two-factor solution may be more appropriate in using the BIS-5 scale in German samples. These two factors might reflect different aspects of impulsive behavior and might be useful to characterize impulsive behavior in psychiatric and non-psychiatric samples.
Preuss
U W
UW
Psychiatrische Klinik und Poliklinik Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. up@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
Rujescu
D
D
Giegling
I
I
Koller
G
G
Bottlender
M
M
Engel
R R
RR
Möller
H J
HJ
Soyka
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D007297:Inpatients; D007508:Irritable Mood; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010556:Personality Tests / Q000592:standards*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology