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Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11)

Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) Test

In about 3 minutes, this test clarifies your impulsivity profile across action, focus, and planning. Get quick, reliable insight to support treatment tracking and targeted self-control strategies.

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Questions: 143 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

10,355 views

1,351 completion

1,144 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

6/16

Non-Planning Impulsiveness (NPI)

Measures the tendency to act without planning ahead or considering consequences.

More planned

Mixed planning

Less planned

4 – 6: More planned | 7 – 10: Mixed planning | 11 – 16: Less planned

A score of 6 falls in the More planned range, suggesting relatively lower non-planning impulsivity and a greater tendency to think through actions before acting.

example score

8/16

Attentional Impulsiveness (AI)

Assesses how well a person can sustain attention and resist distraction during tasks.

Low

Moderate

High

4 – 6: Low | 7 – 9: Moderate | 10 – 16: High

A score of 8 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting occasional distractibility and some difficulty maintaining sustained focus.

example score

20/24

Motor Impulsiveness (MI)

Motor impulsivity measures a tendency to act quickly and rashly without pausing to think through actions.

Low

Moderate

High

6 – 9: Low | 10 – 14: Moderate | 15 – 24: High

A score of 20 falls in the High range, suggesting a stronger tendency toward quick, unplanned actions and reduced behavioral restraint.

example score

28/56

Impulsivity (I)

This scale measures a person’s overall tendency to act quickly and without sufficient self-control or forethought.

Low impulsivity

Moderate impulsivity

High impulsivity

14 – 22: Low impulsivity | 23 – 30: Moderate impulsivity | 31 – 56: High impulsivity

A score of 28 falls in the Moderate impulsivity range, suggesting occasional unplanned or rapid decisions that may benefit from extra pause and checking consequences in demanding situations.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People struggling with self-control

42%OF USERS

They take it to understand whether impulsive actions, distractibility, or poor planning are driving mistakes and risky choices.

Therapy and coaching clients

34%OF USERS

They use it with a specialist to pinpoint which kind of impulsivity to target and to track changes over time.

Researchers and clinicians

24%OF USERS

They administer it as a quick, standardized measure of impulsivity for assessment, screening, or study protocols.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Impulsiveness of planning (Iop)

Average

8.4

Normal range

6.5 — 10.4

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Impulsivity of Attention (IoA)

Average

8.3

Normal range

6.7 — 9.9

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Motor impulsivity (Mi)

Average

11.8

Normal range

9.3 — 14.4

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Impulsivity Scale (IS)

Average

32.1

Normal range

24.7 — 39.5

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures impulsivity as a set of tendencies related to acting quickly, sustaining attention, and planning ahead. It provides separate scores for motor, attentional, and non-planning aspects.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

Completion typically takes about 3 minutes. The form includes 14 items.

What do the three score areas mean?

Motor reflects acting without sufficient thought. Attentional reflects distractibility and difficulty maintaining focus, and non-planning reflects limited forethought and weak consideration of consequences.

How should responses be selected?

Select the option that best describes typical behavior over time rather than a single recent situation. Answer all items using the first response that seems accurate.

How should results be interpreted?

Scores indicate relative levels of impulsivity across the three areas and are used to guide further assessment or monitoring. Results are not diagnostic on their own and should be interpreted in context.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) Test - Symptoms and Signs

impulsivity

This measure is a brief self-report questionnaire intended to screen for impulsivity-related tendencies. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) is commonly used to characterize patterns of behavioral disinhibition and self-control difficulties in clinical and research settings.

It consists of 14 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Items are designed to capture everyday manifestations of impulsive responding, attentional control problems, and reduced forethought or planning.

Scores from the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) may support case formulation and help monitor change over time when interpreted in the context of presenting concerns, clinical interview, and other assessment data.

Author: ernest-s-barratt

Literature: Whiteside, S. P., & Lynam, D. R. The five factor model and impulsivity: using a structural model of personality to understand impulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences. 2001.; Cyders, M. A., & Smith, G. T. Emotion-based dispositions to rash action: positive and negative urgency. Psychological Bulletin. 2008.; Patton, J. H., Stanford, M. S., & Barratt, E. S. Factor structure of the Barratt impulsiveness scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 1995.

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