Impulsivity plays a crucial role in the understanding and diagnosis of many psychopathologies including Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Therefore, careful measurement of impulsivity is of great importance to researchers and clinicians studying SUD. The objective of this essay was to critically evaluate the efficacy and relationship between three common self-report measures of impulsivity in SUD research and diagnosis. This paper highlights the different definitions of impulsivity used within each of these scales and assesses whether they are measuring the same construct. Research revealed that BIS-11, I7 and BIS/BAS scales are highly correlated with each other, indicating that despite their differences in definitions all of these scales are …show more content…
They are particularly useful when the participant has insight into their own feelings, behaviour and thoughts (Cyders & Coskunpinar, 2011). The BIS-11 is the most commonly used self-report measure of trait impulsivity in SUD research (Patton & Stanford, 1995). In BIS-11, impulsivity is conceptualised as a tendency to respond to internal or external stimuli in a reckless fashion without any consideration to the consequences (Patton & Stanford, 1995). BIS-11 includes 30-items, with three subscales-motor impulsivity (acting without thinking), cognitive impulsivity (making fast cognitive-decisions) and non-planning impulsivity (lack of concern about the future) (Patton & Stanford, 1995; Stanford et al., 2009). The second most-widely used scale for studying impulsivity in SUD is I7. It includes 54-items and incorporates the risk-taking dimension of impulsivity in its measurement. I7 defined impulsivity as a characteristic of people who act on the spur of the moment without being aware of the risk involved (Eysenck, Pearson, Easting & Allsopp, 1985). It consists of three subscales; Impulsiveness (behaving without thinking and considering consequences), Venturesomeness (unnecessary risk-taking) and Empathy (Miller, Joseph & Tudway, 2004). The last scale commonly used to measure impulsivity in SUD research …show more content…
Social-desirability is when participants give answers on questionnaires they deem socially acceptable rather than answers that truly reflect their personality and this phenomenon can sometimes act as a confounding variable (McDonald, 2008; Paulhus & Vazire, 2007). Aforementioned, self-report measures only analyse an individual's general behaviour over-time, not their response in particular situation. Therefore, to measure this type or state-like impulsivity, behavioural or laboratory measures are required (Reynolds, Ortengren, Richards & Wit,
Fortinash, K. M., & Holoday Worret, P. A. (Eds.). (2012). Substance-related disorders and addictive behaviors. Psychiatric mental health nursing (5th ed., pp. 319-362). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 21(2), 1-8. Paunonen, S., & Ashton, M. (2001). Big five factors and facets and the prediction of behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81(1), 524-539. Pittenger, D. (2005).
Satel says, “Addiction does indeed discriminate, it chooses those who are bad at delaying gratification” (2). Those who simply cannot resist the instant relief or euphoria are more likely to become addicts. Addiction also preys on those who do not possess the proper skills for gauging consequences. Those suffering from this trait are unable to look ahead at the true horror that awaits them at the end of the long dark tunnel. Another trait that increases the risk of addiction is impulsivity. Impulsive people have issues controlling themselves, and they often make quick decisions that were not through. Impulsivity characteristics often go hand in hand with the previously stated traits, making it one of the hardest to overcome. While personality traits may be genetic or just how we are predisposed, drug use often alters ones entire being, including these traits. So, who is to say if the traits listed above were not birthed from the very womb of drug use itself.
A psychological assessment is defined as “the gathering and integration of psychology-related data for the purpose of making a psychological evaluation that is accomplished through the use of tools such as tests, interviews, case studies, behavioral observation, and specially designed apparatuses and measurement procedures” (Cohen, Swerdlik, &Sturman, 2013). Although examiners strive toward the assessment being good enough to be useful, they sometimes have to make decisions about what type of error is acceptable. There are many psychological assessments that have been used in the study of addictions, but we will take a look at the Addiction Severity Index.
The Addition Severity Index is a well-known and widely used tool for use in treating alcoholics and other addicts. It is an approximately 45 to 60 minute long interview comprised of questions about the patient’s life. The interview covers eight subscales focusing on many different parts of a person’s life which helps to provide a comprehensive understanding of their life. The severity is scored on a ten point scale ranging from no problem or treatment indicated to extreme problem, treatment absolutely necessary. The scale helps the interviewer determine the seriousness of a client’s problem and to plan an effective course of treatment. The ASI can also be found in a self-administered paper-and-pencil form and an interactive CD-ROM multimedia version for the computer (Maleka, 2004). This test has been found to be reliable by most but some others do not agree. It is difficult to say whether or not the test is a reliable and valid measure of treatment due to the complexity of the questions. Once a client’s psychosocial needs are identified it is easier to find treatment suitable for that client. There are some problems with the test such as it is not properly designed to cover such a wide population (Maleka, 2004). Other problems include irrelevant questions for alcoholics and other drug users, difficulty remembering relevant information, and lying and exaggerating information for the best interest of the patient (Maleka, 2004). Use of the ASI can be found to be particularly problematic when used with the homeless or double-diagnosis patients. The ASI can be used in a wide range of treatment settings including clinical, research, and administrative. This comprehensive evaluation is a useful tool that helps professionals understand the
Lily, Henrietta M. and Harmon, Daniel E. Alcohol Abuse and Binge Drinking. New York: the Rosen Publishing Group Inc., 2012. Print.
Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging. For example spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving and binge eating.
Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Journal of personality and social psychology and. Retrieved from http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~broberts/Hazan & Shaver, 1987.pdf
Also, almost all of the behavior measures were taken by self-report. This is somewhat necessary, as many of the behaviors would be difficult to measure directly (e.g., drug use) without a breach of ethics. This too is a potential source of error, it is likely that the self-reports would under-estimate the proportion of the population that engages in a particular behavior. The astute reader may notice that this review does not include any papers that did not find a false consensus effect. The reason for this is not that this paper is not representative of the literature, but rather, that it is.
It is said to believe that alcoholism is a type of behavior, which is why it shouldn’t just be studied by medical doctors, but by psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychoanalysts. Why? Psychology is the study of human behavior. This article argues that alcohol addiction is distinguished by an imbalance of two different psychological reports leading to the loss of willpower (Bechara 2005). The first one being a spontaneous reaction for signaling immediate expectations. The second report is a reflective reaction needed to decrease the response triggered by the impulsive system. The article also reviews some candidates that can trigger alcohol use either knowingly or unknowingly. According to Alcoholism and the Loss of Willpower, alcohol-related stimuli capture the attention of problematic users of alcohol, triggers specific attributes (good/bad and sedative/arousal), and both of which could increase the likelihood to drink more alcohol or to drink in inappropriate situations, like before an exam or before driving a car. (Page 1) Another main aspect of alcoholism is the diminished extent for self-control. This also includes things like addicts not being able to efficiently execute certain behaviors and regulate their emotions and feelings. This can have a lot to do with the insula, which is a region of the brain deep inside the cerebral cortex. Where a lot of decision making takes place here, once the insula is engaged it makes conscious and unconscious decisions to drink that beer or take that drug. All of these findings conclude to possessing willpower. “Willpower depends in many important ways on neural substrates that regulate homeostasis, emotion, and feeling.” (Persaud, McLeod, & Cowey, 2007) All these understandings of alcohol...
Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the US. One in every 12 adults suffers from alcohol abuse. Alcohol addiction is very common in modern ...
Silverman, K., Roll, J., & Higgins, S. (2008). Introduction to the Special Issue on the Behavior Analysis and Treatment of Drug Addiction. Journal of Applied behavior Analysis, 41(4), 471-480. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from the proquest.com.navigator-ship.passhe.edu database.
The study of personality traits is beneficial in identifying the many variables that exist from human to human; the combinations of these variables provide us with a true level of individuality and uniqueness. In the field of psychology, trait theory is considered to be a key approach to the study of human personality (Crowne, 2007; Burton, Westen & Kowalski, 2009). This paper aims to identify a number of significant contributors who have played crucial roles in both the development and application of trait theory. This paper then moves focus to these theorists, outlining their theory and analysing both the strengths and weaknesses of those theories. An illustration of the methods used in trait measurement is given and includes the arguments both for and against such procedures. Lastly the findings of trait theory and its components described within the paper will be summarised.
Morasco, B. J., Gfeller, J. D., & Elder, K. A. (2007). The Utility of the NEO–PI–R Validity Scales to Detect Response Distortion: A Comparison With the MMPI–2. Journal of Personality Assessment, 88(3), 227-281. doi:10.1080/00223890701293924
Early on in the conceptualization of social desirability, there was recognition that culture was important in classifying opinions and behaviors as desirable or not. Crowne and Marlowe (1964) suggested that socially desirable responding was motivated by "the need of subjects to respond in culturally sanctioned ways" in order to obtain social approval. Yet, cultural variation in social desirability and the possible impact of differential social desirability on cross-cultural surveys have never been seriously examined. We know from cross-cultural work that there are both universals and cultural specifics in social behavior. Some norms that have obvious implications for survey behavior, such as the