Psychometric Properties of Plutchik’s Impulsivity Scale in Juvenile Spanishspeaking population

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to validate and score the Plutchik´s Impulsivity Scale (IS) in adolescent offenders in Spanish-speaking population. A sample of adolescents from El Salvador, Mexico and Spain was obtained. The sample consisted of 1035 participants with a mean age of 16.2. The forensic population included 450 adolescents (those who committed an offense) and the normal population (no offense committed) 585 adolescents. The internal consistency of the IS was estimated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, whose value was 0.713. Regarding validity, the factorial structures found showed the construct’s robustness because they explained a large proportion of the variance and extract factors that are stable for each subsample. The scales developed for the first time in a transcultural sample, differentiating gender and crime, are presented. Consequently, the results obtained suggest that the IS is a valid and reliable instrument within an adolescent Spanish-speaking population. It is a rapid to use and easy to apply scale, which is very valuable in forensic evaluation.