Examining the Stability of the UPPS-P and MCQ-27 During Residential Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

Impulsivity reflects a pattern of rapid behavioral responses to internal or external cues with little planning or consideration of consequences. Impulsive personality is purported to be a largely stable, trait-based quality, while impulsive choice has been shown to respond to interventions aimed at reducing impulsivity. We sought to evaluate the stability of impulsive personality and examine reductions in impulsivity during short-term residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. The temporal stability of the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P) and discounting rates on a measure of impulsive choice (i.e., Monetary Choice Questionnaire-27 [MCQ-27]) were assessed over a brief 10-day period in a sample of individuals engaged in 14-day residential SUD treatment (N = 28). Although all five UPPS-P scales exhibited adequate to good test-retest reliability (rs > .78), Negative Urgency and (lack of) Premeditation decreased over time with large and moderate effects, respectively. Discounting rates on the MCQ-27 also declined (i.e., reduced impulsivity) during treatment. While impulsive personality is broadly understood to be trait-like and largely resistant to treatment effects, our results add to emerging evidence that two scales on the UPPS-P (i.e., Negative Urgency and [lack of] Premeditation) measure aspects of impulsive personality that respond to treatment. These findings have significant implications for understanding and conceptualizing impulsivity during initial SUD treatment and suggest opportunities for additional interventions targeting aspects of impulsive personality. Public Heath Significance This study contributes to emerging evidence that aspects of impulsive personality may be more responsive to acute treatment effects than previously believed. We evaluated changes in impulsive personality and impulsive choice for individuals completing 14-day residential substance use disorder treatment. While impulsive personality was largely stable over the treatment period, certain aspects of impulsive personality declined over the brief treatment period.