title: Rapid-response impulsivity: definitions, measurement issues, and clinical implications.
abstract: Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct that is a core feature of multiple psychiatric conditions and personality disorders. However, progress in understanding and treating impulsivity is limited by a lack of precision and consistency in its definition and assessment. Rapid-response impulsivity (RRI) represents a tendency toward immediate action that occurs with diminished forethought and is out of context with the present demands of the environment. Experts from the International Society for Research on Impulsivity (InSRI) met to discuss and evaluate RRI measures in terms of reliability, sensitivity, and validity, with the goal of helping researchers and clinicians make informed decisions about the use and interpretation of findings from RRI measures. Their recommendations are described in this article. Commonly used clinical and preclinical RRI tasks are described, and considerations are provided to guide task selection. Tasks measuring two conceptually and neurobiologically distinct types of RRI, "refraining from action initiation" (RAI) and "stopping an ongoing action" (SOA) are described. RAI and SOA tasks capture distinct aspects of RRI that may relate to distinct clinical outcomes. The InSRI group recommends that (a) selection of RRI measures should be informed by careful consideration of the strengths, limitations, and practical considerations of the available measures; (b) researchers use both RAI and SOA tasks in RRI studies to allow for direct comparison of RRI types and examination of their associations with clinically relevant measures; and (c) similar considerations be made for human and nonhuman studies in an effort to harmonize and integrate preclinical and clinical research.
authors: Department of Psychology, Maryland Neuroimaging Center, Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotion Research, University of Maryland.
authors: Kristen R
authors: KR
authors: Hamilton
authors: Department of Psychology, Texas Tech University.
authors: Andrew K
authors: AK
authors: Littlefield
authors: Center for Addiction Research, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch.
authors: Noelle C
authors: NC
authors: Anastasio
authors: Center for Addiction Research, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch.
authors: Kathryn A
authors: KA
authors: Cunningham
authors: Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical Branch.
authors: Latham H L
authors: LHL
authors: Fink
authors: Schizophrenia Division, Complex Mental Illness, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
authors: Victoria C
authors: VC
authors: Wing
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobehavioral Research, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
authors: Charles W
authors: 0000-0003-1902-673X
authors: CW
authors: Mathias
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Houston Medical School.
authors: Scott D
authors: SD
authors: Lane
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia.
authors: Christian G
authors: CG
authors: Schütz
authors: Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine.
authors: Alan C
authors: AC
authors: Swann
authors: Department of Psychology, Maryland Neuroimaging Center, Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotion Research, University of Maryland.
authors: C W
authors: CW
authors: Lejuez
authors: Centre for Gambling Research at UBC, Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia.
authors: Luke
authors: 0000-0003-1103-2422
authors: L
authors: Clark
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.
authors: F Gerard
authors: FG
authors: Moeller
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine.
authors: Marc N
authors: MN
authors: Potenza
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results