Associations among functional and dysfunctional impulsivity: Direct and indirect effects on sensation seeking in youth (19-25 years old)

Abstract

It is important to study the relationships between sensation seeking, functional and dysfunctional impulsivity to clarify the appropriateness and effectiveness of ways for seeking optimal stimulation. The aim of this study was to investigate if dysfunctional impulsivity had stronger direct and indirect effects on sensation seeking in youth with functional impulsivity as a mediator. Sensation seeking, functional and dysfunctional types of impulsivity were studied among 764 students from 19 to 25 years old by means of Radoslavova and Velichkov’s (2005) questionnaire. The results indicated that sensation seeking, functional and dysfunctional impulsivity correlated significantly and positively. Dysfunctional impulsivity was directly related to sensation seeking, as well as indirectly related to sensation seeking mediated by functional impulsivity. The findings also revealed that functional impulsivity was directly related to sensation seeking, as well as indirectly related to sensation seeking mediated by dysfunctional impulsivity. Dysfunctional impulsivity had larger direct effects on sensation seeking than functional impulsivity. Dysfunctional impulsivity also had larger effects as a mediator on sensation seeking than the effects of functional impulsivity as a mediator on sensation seeking. These findings suggest some deficiencies in the speed and accuracy of processing information, and the effectiveness of made decisions and implemented actions in search of optimal stimulation among youth.