The reliability of the Chinese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11, in abstinent, opioid-dependent participants in Taiwan

BackgroundThe Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) is one of the most commonly used self-report measures of trait impulsivity. However, the reliability of this measure among individuals who abuse substances has not yet been well examined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of this measure in abstinent, opioid-dependent participants.MethodsThe opioid-dependent participants were all male inmates recruited from two official correction agencies located in northern Taiwan, from October 2006 to September 2007; of these participants, the retest group completed a second assessment after 1 month. The internal consistency reliability of the BIS version 11 (BIS-11) was assessed by calculating the Cronbach α coefficient. Test–retest reliability was assessed based on intraclass correlation coefficients. Factor validity was examined using principal component analysis. Internal consistency and factor validity of the BIS-11 were investigated in a sample of 153 participants, and test–retest reliability was analyzed in 67 participants.ResultsA three-factor structure of BIS-11 representing psychological constructs similar to those originally identified in other translations of the BIS-11 was found. The Cronbach α coefficient for this instrument was 0.83, indicating high internal consistency, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.66, indicating good test–retest reliability. The BIS-11 had highest reliability among participants without a criminal history. The test–retest reliability was still satisfactory among participants with a lower education level or alcohol dependence.ConclusionThis study suggests that the Chinese version of the BIS-11 is a reliable measure and has potential utility for investigating impulsivity in opioid-dependent individuals.