Further exploration of the SUPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale’s factor structure: Evidence from a large Hungarian sample

Background: Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct playing a pervasive role in psychiatry and neuropsychology. Lynam et al. (2006) have developed the 59-item UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, which assesses five distinct impulsivity dimensions: positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation, and sensation seeking. The short, 20-item version of the UPPS-P (SUPPS-P; Billieux et al. 2012) has been developed and adapted into several languages, including English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. The aim of the present study was to test four theoretical models of the SUPPS-P in a large sample of Hungarian adults. Methods: A total of 15,703 participants (64.76% male; Mage = 33.42 years, SD = 11.06) completed the SUPPS-P using an online questionnaire. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses corroborated the first-order five-factor model of impulsivity and a hierarchical model representing three higher-order constructs (urgency, lack of conscientiousness, sensation seeking), whereas the one-factor and three-factor model were not supported. The factor structure of the SUPPS-P preserved the original, theory-driven structure of the UPPS-P model and this instrument demonstrated good internal consistency. Hypersexual behavior consequences were positively associated with most SUPPS-P components, thus criterion validity was also supported. Conclusion: The SUPPS-P had strong psychometric properties that reflected the theoretical structure of the original UPPS-P model, thus it constitutes a theoretically grounded and time saving multidimensional instrument for assessing impulsivity.