THE ROLE OF IMPULSIVITY IN PREDICTING THE SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS IN PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION

<p>The primary purpose of this study was to investigate associations between attention impulsivity, motor impulsivity and non-planning impulsivity measured according to the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS) and indicators of subjective well-being (SWB) measured by the Flourishing Scale (FS) and Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) in students at selected private higher education institutions (N = 514, 52% women, 48% men). The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of gender on the aforementioned associations. Relationships between impulsivity and subjective well-being were examined taking into account the multifactoral structure of impulsiveness. The main findings of the study show that: (a) attention impulsivity predicted low prosperity and low levels of satisfaction with standard of living, health, personal achievements, safety and future security; (b) motor impulsivity showed bivariate but not unique relationships between prosperity and satisfaction with personal health, achievements and personal safety; (c) non-planning impulsivity was found to be uniquely associated with lower subjective prosperity and lower satisfaction with personal achievements and personal relationships; and (d) gender did not moderate the relationship between BIS components and SWB indexes. Impulsivity substrates explained between 4 and 17% of the variance in subjective well-being indexes. In sum, the results showed that the three components of impulsivity are distinct yet partially overlapping. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0998/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Keep calm and manage impulsivity: Mood as a modulator of impulsive behaviour

This study investigated how different mood states affect distinct subtypes of impulsivity: motor impulsivity [measured with the Stop Signal (SST) and the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT)], reflection impulsivity [assessed with the Information Sampling Task (IST)], and temporal impulsivity (the Delay Discounting Questionnaire). Eighty healthy volunteers completed two experimental sessions. During session 1, which served as a baseline measure, participants underwent a neutral mood induction procedure. In Session 2, they were randomly allocated to one of the mood-induction groups (Neutral, Positive, Sad, and Anxiety). Mood state ratings included bipolar visual analogue scales on mood (positive/negative), tension/relaxation and arousal (tired/active). No group effect was found on any of the impulsivity measures.24 Correlational analyses between mood changes (following the mood manipulation procedures) and behaviour in the tasks revealed that increased relaxation was related to increased information sampling in the IST (decreased reflection impulsivity). In addition, the more active subjects reported to be, the more likely they were to choose a delayed reward over the immediate one (decreased temporal impulsivity). These results indicate that subjective changes in mood state are associated with behavioural impulsivity levels. Importantly, distinct facets of impulsivity (reflection, motor and temporal) are differently affected by changes in mood state.

Correlations of impulsivity and aggressive behaviours among adolescents in Shanghai, China using bioecological model: cross-sectional data from Global Early Adolescent Study

ObjectiveTo examine the correlations between impulsivity and aggressive behaviours among Chinese adolescents.DesignA school-based cross-sectional study.SettingThree primary middle schools located in less developed communities of Shanghai.Participants1524 adolescents aged 11–16 years.MeasuresThe impulsivity was measured by Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and the aggressive behaviours were determined by self-reports. Data were collected through computer-assisted self-interview using tablets. Multivariate Firth logistic regression model was conducted to examine correlations between total, attentional, motor, and non-planning impulsivity and aggressive behaviours, respectively.ResultsTotally, 7.48% of participants reported aggressive behaviours toward others during the past 6 months. The proportion of aggressors among boys and girls was 10.60% and 4.18%, respectively. Results of the multivariate regression suggested the risk of aggressive behaviours was significantly increased among those with the highest tertile of total impulsivity (adjusted OR (aOR)boys=3.14, 95% CI: 1.48 to 6.65; aORgirls=3.74, 95% CI: 1.10 to 12.76) and motor impulsivity (aORboys=2.91, 95% CI: 1.46 to 5.82; aORgirls=3.57, 95% CI: 1.25 to 10.20.), comparing with those with the lowest tertile, for boys and girls, respectively. Besides, younger age, lower social cohesion and being bullied within 6 months were associated with a higher risk of aggressive behaviours among girls. Less family caring and being bullied within 6 months were associated with the risk among boys.ConclusionsThe present study indicates a positive association between impulsivity and aggressive behaviours, with a more salient correlation between motor impulsivity subtrait and aggressive behaviour among both boys and girls. Furthermore, adolescents’ aggressive behaviours were affected by multiple factors from individuals, family, peers and community. Comprehensive intervention strategies such as controlling the aggressor’s impulsivity, helping them better channel their anger, creating a better family, school and neighbourhood environment, and providing support and services for victims of violence are needed.

Antisocial Personality Problems in Emerging Adulthood: The Role of Family Functioning, Impulsivity, and Empathy

International research has evidenced the key role played by adults’ and adolescents’ family functioning, impulsivity, and empathy in antisocial personality problems. To date, no study has assessed the complex interaction between these variables during emerging adulthood. This study aimed to explore the possible interplay between antisocial personality problems, the quality of family functioning, impulsivity, and empathetic problems in a community sample of 350 emerging adults. Descriptive, correlational, hierarchical regression, and mediation analyses were performed, controlling relevant socio-demographic variables. Results showed a predictive effect of parental behavioral control, motor impulsivity, and empathetic concern in antisocial personality problems. Moreover, motor impulsivity and empathetic concern partially mediated the relationship between parental behavioral control and emerging adults’ antisocial personality problems. This study supports the recent evidence on the complex relationship between individual and relational protective and risk factors involved in antisocial personality problems during emerging adulthood, with important implications for their intervention treatments.

RC-RAGE Manuscript_preprint_03.22.2021

Lack of self-control has been theorized to predict an individual’s likelihood to engage in antisocial behaviors such as impulsive aggression upon provocation, but existing measures have not allowed for the specific examination of costly, reactive aggression. We introduce a novel paradigm, the Retaliate or Carry-on: Reactive AGgression Experiment (RC-RAGE) to fill this methodological gap, and test to what extent dispositional impulsivity, self-control, aggression, and state anger contribute to aggression upon provocation when there is a financial cost involved. We find that costly retaliation is strongly linked to dispositional aggression, the tendency to act impulsively, and angry state affect, but less affected by other forms of self-control (e.g., delay of gratification) or social desirability. This work sheds light on the prominent role of motor impulsivity in predicting reactive aggression that has a tangible financial cost and provides a tool for the future investigation of reactive aggression in an experimental setting.

Pharmacological evidence of a cholinergic contribution to elevated impulsivity and risky decision-making caused by adding win-paired cues to a rat gambling task

Background: Pairing rewards with sensory stimulation, in the form of auditory and visual cues, increases risky decision-making in both rats and humans. Understanding the neurobiological basis of this effect could help explain why electronic gambling machines are so addictive, and inform treatment development for compulsive gambling and gaming. Numerous studies implicate the dopamine system in mediating the motivational influence of reward-paired cues; recent data suggest the cholinergic system also plays a critical role. Previous work also indicates that cholinergic drugs alter decision-making under uncertainty. Aims: We investigated whether the addition of reward-concurrent cues to the rat gambling task (crGT) altered the effects of peripherally administered cholinergic compounds. Methods: Muscarinic and nicotinic agonists and antagonists were administered to 16 male, Long–Evans rats trained on the crGT. Measures of optimal/risky decision-making and motor impulsivity were the main dependent variables of interest. Results: The muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine improved decision-making overall, decreasing selection of one of the risky options while increasing choice of the more advantageous options. The muscarinic agonist oxotremorine increased choice latency but did not significantly affect option preference. Neither the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine nor the agonist nicotine affected choice patterns, but mecamylamine decreased premature responding, an index of motor impulsivity. Conclusions: These results contrast sharply from those obtained previously using the uncued rGT, and suggest that the deleterious effects of win-paired cues on decision-making and impulse control may result from elevated cholinergic tone.