The Forms and Functions of Impulsive Actions: Implications for Behavioral Assessment and Therapy

Impulsivity is a central defining feature of several psychiatric disorders and a frequent correlate of many forms of psychopathology and maladjustment. Despite recognition of the importance of impulsivity to an understanding of a wide variety of clinically–relevant behaviors, this multifaceted construct remains ill–defined and not well understood. The primary aims of this article are to briefly summarize theory and basic research on impulsivity from personality theory, and to propose a behavioral framework for conceptualizing factors that contribute to and maintain behaviors often labeled as impulsive. Behavioral interventions potentially useful for addressing impulsive behavior outlined within this framework are briefly described.