Psychometric properties of Plutchik’s Impulsivity Scale in juvenile Spanish-
speaking population
Authors:
Miguel Á. Alcázar-Córcoles, Antonio J. Verdejo, and José Carlos Bouso-Sáiz.
Journal:
Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría
Year:
2015
About the study
This article presented the validation and scoring of Plutchik’s Impulsivity Questionnaire in a sample of Spanish and American adolescents. The questionnaire had already been translated and validated using a sample of Spanish adults.
The final sample was made up of a total of 1035 subjects, corresponding to: 285 to Mexico, 309 to El Salvador and 441 to Spain. The results obtained suggest that the Impulsivity Scale(IS) is a valid instrument for use in the Spanish-speaking adolescent population.
This scale is easy to apply and it requires very little time (about five minutes), being very valuable in the forensic content, where little time is usually available for the evaluation.
Abstract
Background: The objective of the present study was to validate and score the Plutchik’s Impulsivity Scale (IS) in adolescent offenders in Spanish-speaking population.
Methods: A sample of adolescents from El Salvador, Mexico and Spain was obtained. The sample consisted of 1035 participants with a mean age of 16.2. The forensic population included 450 adolescents (those who committed an offense) and the normal population (no offense committed) 585 adolescents.
Results: The internal consistency of the IS was estimated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, whose value was 0.713. Regarding validity, the factorial structures found showed the construct’s robustness because they explained a large proportion of the variance and extract factors that are stable for each subsample. The scales developed for the first time in a transcultural sample, differentiating gender and crime, are presented.
Conclusions: Consequently, the results obtained suggest that the IS is a valid and reliable instrument within an adolescent Spanish-speaking population. It is a rapid to use and easy to apply scale, which is very valuable in forensic evaluation.
Photo by Billy Huynh on Unsplash.
Categories:
Studies & papers
, Others
Tags:
impulsivity
, scientific research
, study
, antisocial behavior
, evaluation
, juvenile offenders