Confirmatory factor analysis of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-short form (BIS-15) in patients with mental disorders.

Impulsivity is a major component of various mental disorders. A short form of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-the BIS-15-assesses three facets of impulsivity: non-planning, motor, and attentional. A confirmatory factor analysis tested its factor structure composed of three first-order latent factors and a second-order impulsivity factor in 453 patients with mental disorders (64% female). Model fit was acceptable as were internal reliabilities of the subscales and the total scale. The BIS-15 has sound psychometric properties in patients with mental disorders and, thus, can be used for assessing impulsivity and its subcomponents in this population.