Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11)

Developed by Patton and colleagues in 1995, the BIS-11 is one of the leading measures of impulsiveness: the tendency to act without considering negative consequences for yourself or others. Its 30 items assess attentional impulsiveness (distractibility), motor impulsiveness (limited behavioral control), and non-planning impulsiveness (lack of planning). It shows good internal consistency among adults and university students and is widely used in psychology, criminology, and clinical assessment, particularly for difficulties associated with impulsivity such as ADHD, substance misuse, and pathological gambling.

Attentional impulsiveness involves distractibility, trouble sustaining focus, thoughts that jump between topics, and unrelated ideas interrupting tasks. It can make tasks requiring sustained attention difficult. Motor impulsiveness involves acting quickly without thinking, limited control, and difficulty waiting. Non-planning impulsiveness involves little preparation for the future, trouble setting long-term goals, and limited consideration of consequences, with a focus on the present rather than the future. The dimensions are distinct but related and together describe impulsiveness more fully.

The BIS-11 uses four ratings, from 1 = rarely/never to 4 = almost always/always, for a total of 30–120. Scores of 30–59 indicate low impulsiveness and good self-control; 60–89 moderate impulsiveness that warrants self-management; and 90–120 high impulsiveness for which professional support is recommended. Review dimension scores too: high attentional impulsiveness suggests focusing on concentration, while high motor impulsiveness suggests working on delayed gratification and behavioral control.

Impulsiveness is a continuous personality trait rather than a disorder itself. Everyone shows it to some degree, and moderate levels can support creativity and action. Very high levels are linked to ADHD, substance misuse and addiction, pathological gambling, borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, conduct disorder, and eating disorders such as binge eating. Research also finds higher reoffending rates among highly impulsive offenders. Seek professional assessment if impulsive behavior seriously affects daily life, work, or relationships.

For attentional impulsiveness, practice mindfulness, reduce multitasking, create a quiet workspace, and try time-management methods such as the Pomodoro technique. For motor impulsiveness, pause and breathe before acting, practice delaying decisions—for example, waiting ten seconds—identify triggers, and use deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. For non-planning impulsiveness, build planning habits, set short- and long-term goals, list pros and cons before decisions, and practice thinking ahead. Professional approaches such as CBT and DBT have also been shown to help impulse control.

Consider counseling if the BIS-11 total is 90 or above or impulsive behavior seriously affects your life. Particular concerns include serious consequences such as spending-related debt, suddenly quitting a job, or hurting someone; uncontrollable substance misuse, gambling, or binge eating; relationship difficulties from outbursts or thoughtless speech; possible ADHD or another related disorder; and unsuccessful self-help efforts. A counselor can identify underlying causes and teach strategies, with referral to a psychiatrist for medication when needed. This self-report tool cannot establish a diagnosis.