A primary assessment of Impulsive Compulsive Behaviours in a Senior Italian Population

Impulsive compulsive behaviours (ICBs) are characteristic of Parkinson’s disease patients treated with dopamine agonists and they have been extensively studied within this field. However, these behaviours defined by difficulties in resisting an urge to engage in a reward-based action, have received less attention within the general population, and how they may impact the lives of those affected. This study, conducted in Italy, is part of a larger international research aiming at assessing the prevalence of ICBs in non-clinical populations. Participants completed a survey comprising a total of 14 scales: the first seven allow a deeper understanding of the behaviour identified as problematic, while the others relate to the general experience of respondents, specifically looking at their ways of coping, emotional regulation, restraints and other factors. Correlations and linear regression analyses were conducted in order to test the hypotheses formulated. Results showed the presence of a variety of problematic behaviours in this sample of healthy older adults, including both impulsive and compulsive components. This work is the first to assess impulsive-compulsive behaviours in a healthy Italian population of elderlies.