Reliability and validity of the modified Chinese version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-CV): a psychological autopsy study in rural China.

BACKGROUND: The modified Chinese Version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-CV) has been widely used in China, but it lacks validation among older adults with completed suicide. This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of BIS-CV using the psychological autopsy method and to provide a scientific basis for future use of this scale in older adults. METHODS: Multi-layer random sampling based on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was applied to select 12 counties as the research sites. We used the psychological autopsy method and face-to-face interviews to obtain information. RESULTS: A total of 242 suicides and 242 living controls were recruited in the study. The split-half reliability was 0.939 in the suicide group and 0.927 in the control group. The Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.910 in the suicide group and 0.894 in the control group. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a three-factor structure of the BIS-CV, with good model fit indexes in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The BIS-CV has good reliability and validity in older adults with and without suicide in rural China. It can effectively measure impulsiveness in rural Chinese older adults and has the potential to identify those at high risk of suicide, which carries significant implications for suicide prevention.