Psychometric properties of an Italian version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) in nonclinical subjects

• Published in: Journal of clinical psychology Vol. 57; no. 6; pp. 815 - 828
• Main Authors: Fossati, Andrea, Di Ceglie, Antonella, Acquarini, Elena, Barratt, Ernest S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.06.2001; Wiley; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Humans; Impulsive Behavior - psychology; Italy; Male; Medical sciences; Personality; Psychological Tests; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Reproducibility of Results; Techniques and methods; Translating; United States; United States; Italy; Human; Evaluation; Impulsivity; Italian; Personality test; Foreign language version; Factor analysis; Questionnaire; Psychometrics; Personality; Impulsiveness Scale Barrett; Revised drafting; Test reliability; Intertrial interval; Item analysis; Test validation; Construct validity; Follow up study; Convergent validity; Principal component analysis
• ISSN: 0021-9762; 1097-4679
• DOI: 10.1002/jclp.1051

To assess the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale‐11 (BIS‐11), the scale was administered to 763 college undergraduates. Based on analyses using item‐total correlations and t‐tests for differences between the top and the bottom total score quartiles, all items from the English version of the BIS‐11 were retained in the Italian version. Cronbach's α for internal consistency was .79 and two‐month test–retest reliability was .89. An exploratory principal‐components analysis replicated the six first‐order factors and three oblique second‐order factors, consistent with the number identified in the English version. However, subfactor item loadings differed between the English and Italian versions. The overall item pool was consistent in being a homogeneous measure of impulsiveness. The BIS‐11 total score was correlated significantly with aggression and ADHD measures. The BIS‐11 also significantly differentiated between high and low levels of binge eating, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 57: 815–828, 2001.