Barratt Impulsiveness Scale
See Fifty years of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale: An update and review (PID, 2009) for a review :
The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) is a 30 item self-report instrument designed to assess the personality/behavioral construct of impulsiveness. Originally developed as part of a larger attempt to relate anxiety and impulsiveness to psychomotor efficiency, the BIS is arguably the most commonly administered self-report measure for the assessment of impulsiveness in both research and clinical settings.
The scale
Factor 1: Attention
I “squirm” at plays or lectures. I am restless at the theater or lectures. I don’t “pay attention.” I concentrate easily.* I am a steady thinker. *Factor 2: Motor impulsiveness
I act “on impulse.” I act on the spur of the moment. I buy things on impulse. I make up my mind quickly. I do things without thinking. I spend or charge more than I earn. I am happy-go-lucky.Factor 3: Self-control
I am a careful thinker. * I plan tasks carefully. * I am self-controlled. * I plan trips well ahead of time. * I plan for job security.* I say things without thinking.Factor 4: Cognitive complexity
I like to think about complex problems. * I like puzzles. I save regularly. I am more interested in the present than the future. I get easily bored when solving thought problems.Factor 5: Perseverance
I change residences. I change jobs. I am future oriented. * I can only think about one problem at a time.Factor 6: Cognitive instability
I often have extraneous thoughts when thinking. I have “racing thoughts.” I change hobbies.* indicates a reversed item