Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (DII)

Abstract

The Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (DII) is a widely recognized self-report inventory developed by S. J. Dickman in 1990. The DII is grounded in a two-factor conceptual model of impulsivity, distinguishing between two distinct dimensions: Functional Impulsivity and Dysfunctional Impulsivity. This instrument moves beyond traditional, unitary conceptualizations of impulsivity by recognizing that rapid action can be either adaptive (functional) or maladaptive (dysfunctional), depending on the cognitive context and resulting outcomes. The DII serves as a critical tool for researchers investigating the personality and cognitive correlates of these differential impulsive behaviors.

Keywords

Impulsivity, Functional Impulsivity, Dysfunctional Impulsivity, Personality, Cognitive Correlates, Self-report, Decision Making, Response Style.

Authors

S. J. Dickman

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (DII) is to operationalize and measure the dichotomous nature of impulsivity as conceptualized by Dickman (1990). This scale enables researchers to assess individual differences in response style, specifically focusing on the speed versus accuracy trade-off in cognitive processing.

By separating the functional and dysfunctional components, the DII provides a more precise psychological instrument than older scales, allowing for targeted investigations into how rapid, effective action (functional) differs from rash, detrimental action (dysfunctional) across various psychological and clinical populations.

Construct

The DII measures a two-dimensional construct of impulsivity:

• Functional Impulsivity (FI): This dimension reflects a tendency to act quickly when prompt action is advantageous. Individuals scoring high on FI are adept at rapid information processing, seizing unexpected opportunities, and making quick decisions that often lead to success. It is considered an adaptive trait.
• Dysfunctional Impulsivity (DI): This dimension reflects a tendency to act rashly without sufficient forethought, typically resulting in errors, poor planning, and negative outcomes. DI is associated with traditional negative views of impulsivity, predicting poor performance and difficulties in tasks requiring deliberation and cognitive control.

The DII operationalizes these dimensions through separate subscales, emphasizing that these two forms of impulsivity are statistically independent, meaning an individual can score high on both, low on both, or high on one and low on the other.

Validity

The validity of the DII is primarily supported by its demonstrated factor structure and its differential patterns of correlation with established external criteria. Studies have confirmed that the DII successfully captures two distinct factors, consistent with Dickman’s theory.

Evidence for construct validity shows that the Functional Impulsivity subscale correlates positively with measures of cognitive speed and quick intellectual processing, while the Dysfunctional Impulsivity subscale correlates positively with conventional measures of impulsivity (e.g., Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) and negative life outcomes, such as poor self-control and high error rates in performance tasks. This differential pattern of correlations confirms that the DII is measuring two separate behavioral tendencies.

Reliability

The internal reliability of the DII is assessed using Cronbach’s alpha for its two primary subscales. Psychometric studies have consistently reported acceptable to good internal consistency for both dimensions, indicating that the items within each subscale reliably measure their respective constructs.

• The Dysfunctional subscale generally exhibits high internal consistency, often reported with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients around .85.
• The Functional subscale also demonstrates solid reliability, with alpha coefficients typically reported around .74.

Factor Analysis

The development and validation of the DII rely heavily on factor analysis to confirm the theoretical two-factor structure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses performed across various samples consistently support the extraction of two orthogonal (independent) factors: Functional Impulsivity and Dysfunctional Impulsivity.

This empirical separation is the defining feature of the DII, distinguishing it from scales that treat impulsivity as a single, negative trait. The clear factor structure validates the scale’s ability to measure adaptive quickness separately from maladaptive rashness.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report personality inventory

Format: Dichotomous (True/False response format)

Language Available: Primarily English, but translations have been used in international psychometric properties research (e.g., Dutch).

Population Group: General population, students, and clinical samples (e.g., studies involving sexual offenders).

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults

Population Details: Used extensively in psychological research to explore cognitive correlates of personality and risk behavior.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate whether a series of statements describing impulsive behavior or cognitive style are true or false regarding their own tendencies.

Keywords

Personality assessment, Cognitive style, Psychometrics, Response latency, Two-factor model, Self-control, Trait measurement.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence should be directed to S. J. Dickman, based on his affiliation at the time of publication (1990).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1990

The Dickman Impulsivity Inventory is a tool frequently employed in academic research. While the scale is often reproduced in academic contexts, formal permissions and fees for commercial or large-scale clinical application must be obtained from the original author, S. J. Dickman, or the relevant copyright holder. The instrument is highly accessible for research purposes.

Reference’s

• Claes, L., Vertommen, H. & Braspenning, N. (2000). Psychometric properties of the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 29, 27-35.
• Dickman, S. (1985). Impulsivity and perception: Individual differences in the processing of the local and global dimensions of stimuli. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; 48, 133-149.
• Dickman, S. J. (1990). Functional and Dysfunctional Impulsivity: Personality and Cognitive Correlates. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; 58(1), 95-102.
• Dickman, S. J. (2000). Impulsivity, arousal and attention. Personality and Individual Differences, 2, 8, 563-581.
• Miller, E., Tudway, J., & Watson, D. (2003). Investigating the Attentional-Fixity theory of impulsivity (Dickman, 1993, 1996) among a UK sexual offending sample. To be submitted to the Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
• Miller.E. (2003). The Measurement of Impulsivity. Coventry University, School of Health and Social Sciences and University of Warwick, Thesis (Ph. D.). This thesis is available online: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2900/

Items of the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (DII)

The following items constitute the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (DII) as originally presented (1990):

• Often, I don’t spend enough time thinking over a situation before I act
• I try to avoid activities where you have to act without much time to think first.
• I don’t like to make decisions quickly, even simple decisions, such as choosing what to wear, or what to have for dinner
• I enjoy working out problems slowly and carefully
• I am good at taking advantage of unexpected opportunities, where you have to do something immediately or lose your chance
• I would enjoy working at a job that required me to make a lot of split-second decisions
• I often make up my mind without taking the time to consider the situation from all angles.
• I have often missed out on opportunities because I couldn’t make up my mind fast enough
• I often say and do things without considering the consequences
• I frequently make appointments without thinking about whether I will be able to keep them
• I am uncomfortable when I have to make up my mind rapidly
• I don’t like to do things quickly, even when I am doing something that is not very difficult
• I frequently buy things without thinking about whether or not I can really afford them
• I’m good at careful reasoning
• I like to take part in really fast-paced conversations, where you don’t have much time to think before you speak
• I like sports and games in which you have to choose your next move very quickly
• Many times the plans I make don’t work out because I haven’t gone over them carefully enough in advance
• I often get into trouble because I don’t think before I act
• Most of the time, I can put my thoughts into words very rapidly.
• People have admired me because I can think quickly
• I will often say whatever comes into my head without thinking first
• Before making any important decision, I carefully weigh the pros and cons
• I rarely get involved in projects without first considering the potential problems