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Papers by Whitney Brown

Addictive Behaviors, 2019

Approximately 15% of US women currently smoke during pregnancy. An important step toward providin... more Approximately 15% of US women currently smoke during pregnancy. An important step toward providing effective smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy is to identify individuals who are more likely to encounter difficulty quitting. Pregnant smokers frequently report smoking in response to intrapersonal factors (e.g., negative emotions), but successful cessation attempts can also be influenced by interpersonal factors (i.e., influence from close others). This study examined the association between emotion regulation difficulties, positive and negative social control (e.g., encouragement, criticism), and smoking cessation-related variables (i.e., smoking quantity, withdrawal symptoms) among pregnant smokers. Data were drawn from the pretreatment wave of a smoking cessation trial enrolling low-income pregnant women who self-reported smoking in response to negative affect (N=73). Greater emotion regulation difficulties were related to greater smoking urges (b=0.295, p=.042) and withdrawal symptoms (b=0.085, p=.003). Additionally, more negative social control from close others was related to fewer smoking days (b=−0.614, p=. 042) and higher smoking abstinence self-efficacy (b=0.017, p=.002). More positive social control from close others interacted with negative affect smoking (b=−0.052, p=.043); the association between negative affect smoking and nicotine dependence (b=0.812, p=0.001) only occurred at low levels of positive social control. Findings suggest that emotion regulation difficulties may contribute to smoking during pregnancy by exacerbating women's negative experiences related to smoking cessation attempts. Negative social control was related to lower smoking frequency and greater confidence in quitting smoking, suggesting that it may assist pregnant smokers' cessation efforts. Positive social control buffered women from the effects of negative affect smoking on nicotine dependence.

Current opinion in psychology, 2015

Marijuana users are more likely to perpetrate intimate partner aggression (IPA) than non-users, y... more Marijuana users are more likely to perpetrate intimate partner aggression (IPA) than non-users, yet the mechanism responsible for this association is unknown. Recent studies considering the association between episodes of marijuana use and episodes of IPA have failed to find evidence consistent with an acute effect of marijuana. Research gaps are highlighted and a heuristic model of marijuana's potential effects on IPA is presented. Research priorities include consideration of mediating mechanisms, moderating variables at the individual and couple level, and examination of acute effects of marijuana using daily report and EMA designs.

Clinical Psychological Science, 2017

Theories of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that interpersonal problems in BPD act ... more Theories of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that interpersonal problems in BPD act as triggers for negative affect and, at the same time, are a possible result of affective dysregulation. Therefore, we assessed the relations between momentary negative affect (hostility, sadness, fear) and interpersonal problems (rejection, disagreement) in a sample of 80 BPD and 51 depressed outpatients at six time points over 28 days. Data were analyzed using multivariate multilevel modeling to separate momentary-, day-, and person-level effects. Results revealed a mutually reinforcing relationship between disagreement and hostility, rejection and hostility, and rejection and sadness in both groups at the momentary and day level. The mutual reinforcement between hostility and rejection/disagreement was significantly stronger in the BPD group. Moreover, the link between rejection and sadness was present at all three levels of analysis for the BPD group, whereas it was localized to the ...

Addiction, 2016

Background and Aims-Cannabis and alcohol are the most commonly used (il)licit drugs worldwide. We... more Background and Aims-Cannabis and alcohol are the most commonly used (il)licit drugs worldwide. We compared the effects of cannabis and alcohol use on within-person changes in impulsivity, hostility, and positive affect at the momentary and daily levels, as they occurred in daily life. Design-Observational study involving ecological momentary assessments collected via electronic diaries 6 random times a day for 28 consecutive days. Setting-Outpatients' everyday life contexts in Columbia, MO, USA. Participants-Ninety-three adult psychiatric outpatients (85% female; M=30.9 years old) with Borderline Personality or Depressive disorders, who reported using only cannabis (n=3), only alcohol (n=58), or both (n=32) at least once during the study period. Measurements-Real-time, standard self-report measures of impulsivity, hostility, and positive affect, as impacted by momentary reports of cannabis and alcohol use. Findings-Cannabis use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the day level (b=0.83, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=0.17-1.49) and increased hostility at the momentary (b=0.07, 95% CI=0.01-0.12) and person (b=0.81, 95% CI=0.15-1.47) level. Alcohol use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the momentary (b=0.42, 95% CI=0.13-0.71) and day level (b=0.82, 95% CI=0.22-1.41) and increased positive affect at the momentary (b=0.12, 95% CI=0.06-0.18) and day (b=0.33, 95% CI=0.16-0.49) level. Conclusions-Cannabis and alcohol use are associated with increases in impulsivity (both), hostility (cannabis), and positive affect (alcohol) in daily life, and these effects are part of separate processes that operate on different time scales (i.e., momentary versus daily).

Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2015

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report experiencing several negative... more Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report experiencing several negative emotions simultaneously, an indicator of "undifferentiated" negative affect. The current study examined the relationship between undifferentiated negative affect and impulsivity. Participants with a current BPD (n = 67) or depressive disorder (DD; n = 38) diagnosis carried an electronic diary for 28 days, reporting on emotions and impulsivity when randomly prompted (up to 6 times per day). Undifferentiated negative affect was quantified using momentary intraclass correlation coefficients, which indicated how consistently negative emotion items were rated across fear, hostility, and sadness subscales. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion-level, day-level, and across 28 days was used to predict occasion-level impulsivity. Multilevel modeling was used to test the hypothesis that undifferentiated negative emotion would be a significant predictor of momentary impulsivity above and beyond levels of overall negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion and day levels were significant predictors of occasion-level impulsivity, but undifferentiated negative affect across the 28-day study period was only marginally significant. Results did not differ depending on BPD or DD status, though BPD individuals did report significantly greater momentary impulsivity and undifferentiated negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect may increase risk for impulsivity among individuals with BPD and depressive disorders, and the current data suggest that this process can be relatively immediate as well as cumulative over the course of a day. This research supports the consideration of undifferentiated negative affect as a transdiagnostic construct, but one that may be particularly relevant for those with BPD.

Oxford Handbooks Online, 2014

Personality disorders (PDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) frequently co-occur both in the ge... more Personality disorders (PDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) frequently co-occur both in the general population and in clinical settings. The authors review the recent literature that documents high comorbidity between these two classes of disorders, discuss possible mechanisms of comorbidity, and describe the clinical implications of this comorbidity. Although most attention on comorbidity between PDs and SUDs has focused on antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD), it is also clear that other PDs (in particular, paranoid, avoidant, and obsessive compulsive PD) are prevalent among those suffering from SUDs. The effect of SUD on PD expression appears to be one of exacerbating PD symptomatology and, in turn, contributing to chronicity. This has important treatment implications in that clinicians must keep in mind the challenges present when planning and implementing treatment for those with both SUD and PD.

Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2010

... Those with BPD report rejection experiences from childhood as well as thought patterns or sch... more ... Those with BPD report rejection experiences from childhood as well as thought patterns or schemas that touch on the theme of rejection by others (Jovev & Jackson, 2006; Linehan, 1993; Meyer ... Rachel L. Tomko is a 3rd year clinical graduate student at the University of Missouri. ...

Journal of Personality Disorders, 2010

The Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R; Zanarini, Gunderson, Frankenburg, & Chau... more The Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R; Zanarini, Gunderson, Frankenburg, & Chauncey, 1989) measures four major aspects of borderline personality disorder (BPD): Affect, Cognition, Impulse Action Patterns, and Interpersonal Relationships. In the present study, 353 young adults completed the DIB-R at age 18 (Wave 1) and again two years later (Wave 2) at age 20. Concerning the prediction of future BPD features, three models were compared: (a) Wave 1 Affect scores predicting all Wave 2 BPD features (NA model); (b) Wave 1 Impulse Action Patterns scores predicting all Wave 2 BPD features (IMP model); and (c) both Wave 1 Affect and Impulse Action Patterns scores predicting all Wave 2 BPD features (NA-IMP model). Each model controlled for stabilities over time and within-time covariances. Results indicated that the NA model provided the best fit to the data, and improved model fit over a baseline stabilities model and the other models tested. However, even within the NA model there was some evidence that the impulsivity scores were not accounted for by other BPD features. These results suggest that although negative affect is predictive of most BPD symptoms, it does not fully predict future impulsive behavior. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by symptoms of severe mood disturbance, impulsive behaviors, inappropriate anger, self-harm behaviors, relationship problems, and identity disturbance (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Dimensional perspectives on BPD emphasize extreme variants of normal personality traits as the root of PD pathology (Trull & Durrett, 2005). The two BPD personality features receiving the most research attention are affective instability/negative affectivity and impulsivity/disinhibition (Skodol et al., 2002; Trull, 2001). Recent research has focused on determining whether one or both of these underlying personality traits may be responsible for the manifestation of other features of BPD (Tragesser, Solhan, Schwartz-Mette, & Trull, 2007). There are three leading perspectives on this issue. First, some suggest that affective instability (or emotion

Journal of Personality Disorders, 2014

Anger and affective instability are key features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Given ... more Anger and affective instability are key features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Given the dynamic nature of affect, it is ideally studied using ambulatory assessment (AA). Recently, several major studies have examined affective instability via momentary self-report, using electronic diaries, which participants can use throughout their daily routine. The present study sought to complement this research by using an unobtrusive naturalistic observation method, the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR). The EAR, which captures interpersonal behavior by periodically recording 50-second snippets of ambient sounds, was worn by 25 participants with BPD who also met the specific affective instability (AI) criterion as well as 13 participants with a depressive disorder (who did not meet criteria for AI or BPD) for three days. Trained coders listened to the captured recordings and rated participants' affect during each 50-second clip (i.e., in naturally varying social contexts). Results suggested that there were differences between diagnostic groups regarding the social context of anger, such that anger at a previous time interval predicted spending time alone in the subsequent time interval for the depressed group, but not for the BPD group. As an ambulatory observational method, the EAR offers an alternative to self-report and can provide insight into the naturalistic expression of emotions in BPD.

Psychological Assessment, 2014

Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been ... more Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been assessed using retrospective questionnaires or laboratory tasks. Both approaches neglect intraindividual variability in impulsivity and do not capture impulsivity as it occurs in real-world settings. The goal of the current study was to provide a method for assessing impulsivity in daily life that provides both between-individual and within-individual information. Participants with borderline personality disorder (BPD; n = 67) or a depressive disorder (DD; n = 38) carried an electronic diary for 28 days and responded to 9 impulsivity items up to 6 times per day. Item distributions and iterative exploratory factor analysis (EFA) results were examined to select the items that best captured momentary impulsivity. A brief 4-item scale was created that can be used

Research Design and Methods  Ecological momentary assessment (EMA; Stone & Shiffman, 1994) metho... more Research Design and Methods  Ecological momentary assessment (EMA; Stone & Shiffman, 1994) methods will be used to study the dynamic process of mood and the interplay between mood and self-regulatory strategies.

Psychological Assessment, 2013

Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been ... more Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been assessed using retrospective questionnaires or laboratory tasks. Both approaches neglect intraindividual variability in impulsivity and do not capture impulsivity as it occurs in real-world settings. The goal of the current study was to provide a method for assessing impulsivity in daily life that provides both betweenindividual and within-individual information. Participants with borderline personality disorder (BPD; n ϭ 67) or a depressive disorder (DD; n ϭ 38) carried an electronic diary for 28 days and responded to 9 impulsivity items up to 6 times per day. Item distributions and iterative exploratory factor analysis (EFA) results were examined to select the items that best captured momentary impulsivity. A brief 4-item scale was created that can be used for the assessment of momentary impulsivity. Model fit was good for both within-and between-individual EFA. As expected, the BPD group showed significantly higher scores on our Momentary Impulsivity Scale than the DD group, and the resulting scale was moderately correlated with common trait impulsivity scales.

Addictive Behaviors, 2019

Approximately 15% of US women currently smoke during pregnancy. An important step toward providin... more Approximately 15% of US women currently smoke during pregnancy. An important step toward providing effective smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy is to identify individuals who are more likely to encounter difficulty quitting. Pregnant smokers frequently report smoking in response to intrapersonal factors (e.g., negative emotions), but successful cessation attempts can also be influenced by interpersonal factors (i.e., influence from close others). This study examined the association between emotion regulation difficulties, positive and negative social control (e.g., encouragement, criticism), and smoking cessation-related variables (i.e., smoking quantity, withdrawal symptoms) among pregnant smokers. Data were drawn from the pretreatment wave of a smoking cessation trial enrolling low-income pregnant women who self-reported smoking in response to negative affect (N=73). Greater emotion regulation difficulties were related to greater smoking urges (b=0.295, p=.042) and withdrawal symptoms (b=0.085, p=.003). Additionally, more negative social control from close others was related to fewer smoking days (b=−0.614, p=. 042) and higher smoking abstinence self-efficacy (b=0.017, p=.002). More positive social control from close others interacted with negative affect smoking (b=−0.052, p=.043); the association between negative affect smoking and nicotine dependence (b=0.812, p=0.001) only occurred at low levels of positive social control. Findings suggest that emotion regulation difficulties may contribute to smoking during pregnancy by exacerbating women's negative experiences related to smoking cessation attempts. Negative social control was related to lower smoking frequency and greater confidence in quitting smoking, suggesting that it may assist pregnant smokers' cessation efforts. Positive social control buffered women from the effects of negative affect smoking on nicotine dependence.

Current opinion in psychology, 2015

Marijuana users are more likely to perpetrate intimate partner aggression (IPA) than non-users, y... more Marijuana users are more likely to perpetrate intimate partner aggression (IPA) than non-users, yet the mechanism responsible for this association is unknown. Recent studies considering the association between episodes of marijuana use and episodes of IPA have failed to find evidence consistent with an acute effect of marijuana. Research gaps are highlighted and a heuristic model of marijuana's potential effects on IPA is presented. Research priorities include consideration of mediating mechanisms, moderating variables at the individual and couple level, and examination of acute effects of marijuana using daily report and EMA designs.

Clinical Psychological Science, 2017

Theories of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that interpersonal problems in BPD act ... more Theories of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that interpersonal problems in BPD act as triggers for negative affect and, at the same time, are a possible result of affective dysregulation. Therefore, we assessed the relations between momentary negative affect (hostility, sadness, fear) and interpersonal problems (rejection, disagreement) in a sample of 80 BPD and 51 depressed outpatients at six time points over 28 days. Data were analyzed using multivariate multilevel modeling to separate momentary-, day-, and person-level effects. Results revealed a mutually reinforcing relationship between disagreement and hostility, rejection and hostility, and rejection and sadness in both groups at the momentary and day level. The mutual reinforcement between hostility and rejection/disagreement was significantly stronger in the BPD group. Moreover, the link between rejection and sadness was present at all three levels of analysis for the BPD group, whereas it was localized to the ...

Addiction, 2016

Background and Aims-Cannabis and alcohol are the most commonly used (il)licit drugs worldwide. We... more Background and Aims-Cannabis and alcohol are the most commonly used (il)licit drugs worldwide. We compared the effects of cannabis and alcohol use on within-person changes in impulsivity, hostility, and positive affect at the momentary and daily levels, as they occurred in daily life. Design-Observational study involving ecological momentary assessments collected via electronic diaries 6 random times a day for 28 consecutive days. Setting-Outpatients' everyday life contexts in Columbia, MO, USA. Participants-Ninety-three adult psychiatric outpatients (85% female; M=30.9 years old) with Borderline Personality or Depressive disorders, who reported using only cannabis (n=3), only alcohol (n=58), or both (n=32) at least once during the study period. Measurements-Real-time, standard self-report measures of impulsivity, hostility, and positive affect, as impacted by momentary reports of cannabis and alcohol use. Findings-Cannabis use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the day level (b=0.83, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=0.17-1.49) and increased hostility at the momentary (b=0.07, 95% CI=0.01-0.12) and person (b=0.81, 95% CI=0.15-1.47) level. Alcohol use was associated with elevated feelings of impulsivity at the momentary (b=0.42, 95% CI=0.13-0.71) and day level (b=0.82, 95% CI=0.22-1.41) and increased positive affect at the momentary (b=0.12, 95% CI=0.06-0.18) and day (b=0.33, 95% CI=0.16-0.49) level. Conclusions-Cannabis and alcohol use are associated with increases in impulsivity (both), hostility (cannabis), and positive affect (alcohol) in daily life, and these effects are part of separate processes that operate on different time scales (i.e., momentary versus daily).

Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2015

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report experiencing several negative... more Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often report experiencing several negative emotions simultaneously, an indicator of "undifferentiated" negative affect. The current study examined the relationship between undifferentiated negative affect and impulsivity. Participants with a current BPD (n = 67) or depressive disorder (DD; n = 38) diagnosis carried an electronic diary for 28 days, reporting on emotions and impulsivity when randomly prompted (up to 6 times per day). Undifferentiated negative affect was quantified using momentary intraclass correlation coefficients, which indicated how consistently negative emotion items were rated across fear, hostility, and sadness subscales. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion-level, day-level, and across 28 days was used to predict occasion-level impulsivity. Multilevel modeling was used to test the hypothesis that undifferentiated negative emotion would be a significant predictor of momentary impulsivity above and beyond levels of overall negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect at the occasion and day levels were significant predictors of occasion-level impulsivity, but undifferentiated negative affect across the 28-day study period was only marginally significant. Results did not differ depending on BPD or DD status, though BPD individuals did report significantly greater momentary impulsivity and undifferentiated negative affect. Undifferentiated negative affect may increase risk for impulsivity among individuals with BPD and depressive disorders, and the current data suggest that this process can be relatively immediate as well as cumulative over the course of a day. This research supports the consideration of undifferentiated negative affect as a transdiagnostic construct, but one that may be particularly relevant for those with BPD.

Oxford Handbooks Online, 2014

Personality disorders (PDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) frequently co-occur both in the ge... more Personality disorders (PDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) frequently co-occur both in the general population and in clinical settings. The authors review the recent literature that documents high comorbidity between these two classes of disorders, discuss possible mechanisms of comorbidity, and describe the clinical implications of this comorbidity. Although most attention on comorbidity between PDs and SUDs has focused on antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD), it is also clear that other PDs (in particular, paranoid, avoidant, and obsessive compulsive PD) are prevalent among those suffering from SUDs. The effect of SUD on PD expression appears to be one of exacerbating PD symptomatology and, in turn, contributing to chronicity. This has important treatment implications in that clinicians must keep in mind the challenges present when planning and implementing treatment for those with both SUD and PD.

Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2010

... Those with BPD report rejection experiences from childhood as well as thought patterns or sch... more ... Those with BPD report rejection experiences from childhood as well as thought patterns or schemas that touch on the theme of rejection by others (Jovev & Jackson, 2006; Linehan, 1993; Meyer ... Rachel L. Tomko is a 3rd year clinical graduate student at the University of Missouri. ...

Journal of Personality Disorders, 2010

The Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R; Zanarini, Gunderson, Frankenburg, & Chau... more The Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R; Zanarini, Gunderson, Frankenburg, & Chauncey, 1989) measures four major aspects of borderline personality disorder (BPD): Affect, Cognition, Impulse Action Patterns, and Interpersonal Relationships. In the present study, 353 young adults completed the DIB-R at age 18 (Wave 1) and again two years later (Wave 2) at age 20. Concerning the prediction of future BPD features, three models were compared: (a) Wave 1 Affect scores predicting all Wave 2 BPD features (NA model); (b) Wave 1 Impulse Action Patterns scores predicting all Wave 2 BPD features (IMP model); and (c) both Wave 1 Affect and Impulse Action Patterns scores predicting all Wave 2 BPD features (NA-IMP model). Each model controlled for stabilities over time and within-time covariances. Results indicated that the NA model provided the best fit to the data, and improved model fit over a baseline stabilities model and the other models tested. However, even within the NA model there was some evidence that the impulsivity scores were not accounted for by other BPD features. These results suggest that although negative affect is predictive of most BPD symptoms, it does not fully predict future impulsive behavior. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by symptoms of severe mood disturbance, impulsive behaviors, inappropriate anger, self-harm behaviors, relationship problems, and identity disturbance (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Dimensional perspectives on BPD emphasize extreme variants of normal personality traits as the root of PD pathology (Trull & Durrett, 2005). The two BPD personality features receiving the most research attention are affective instability/negative affectivity and impulsivity/disinhibition (Skodol et al., 2002; Trull, 2001). Recent research has focused on determining whether one or both of these underlying personality traits may be responsible for the manifestation of other features of BPD (Tragesser, Solhan, Schwartz-Mette, & Trull, 2007). There are three leading perspectives on this issue. First, some suggest that affective instability (or emotion

Journal of Personality Disorders, 2014

Anger and affective instability are key features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Given ... more Anger and affective instability are key features of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Given the dynamic nature of affect, it is ideally studied using ambulatory assessment (AA). Recently, several major studies have examined affective instability via momentary self-report, using electronic diaries, which participants can use throughout their daily routine. The present study sought to complement this research by using an unobtrusive naturalistic observation method, the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR). The EAR, which captures interpersonal behavior by periodically recording 50-second snippets of ambient sounds, was worn by 25 participants with BPD who also met the specific affective instability (AI) criterion as well as 13 participants with a depressive disorder (who did not meet criteria for AI or BPD) for three days. Trained coders listened to the captured recordings and rated participants' affect during each 50-second clip (i.e., in naturally varying social contexts). Results suggested that there were differences between diagnostic groups regarding the social context of anger, such that anger at a previous time interval predicted spending time alone in the subsequent time interval for the depressed group, but not for the BPD group. As an ambulatory observational method, the EAR offers an alternative to self-report and can provide insight into the naturalistic expression of emotions in BPD.

Psychological Assessment, 2014

Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been ... more Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been assessed using retrospective questionnaires or laboratory tasks. Both approaches neglect intraindividual variability in impulsivity and do not capture impulsivity as it occurs in real-world settings. The goal of the current study was to provide a method for assessing impulsivity in daily life that provides both between-individual and within-individual information. Participants with borderline personality disorder (BPD; n = 67) or a depressive disorder (DD; n = 38) carried an electronic diary for 28 days and responded to 9 impulsivity items up to 6 times per day. Item distributions and iterative exploratory factor analysis (EFA) results were examined to select the items that best captured momentary impulsivity. A brief 4-item scale was created that can be used

Research Design and Methods  Ecological momentary assessment (EMA; Stone & Shiffman, 1994) metho... more Research Design and Methods  Ecological momentary assessment (EMA; Stone & Shiffman, 1994) methods will be used to study the dynamic process of mood and the interplay between mood and self-regulatory strategies.

Psychological Assessment, 2013

Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been ... more Impulsivity is a core feature of many psychiatric disorders. Traditionally, impulsivity has been assessed using retrospective questionnaires or laboratory tasks. Both approaches neglect intraindividual variability in impulsivity and do not capture impulsivity as it occurs in real-world settings. The goal of the current study was to provide a method for assessing impulsivity in daily life that provides both betweenindividual and within-individual information. Participants with borderline personality disorder (BPD; n ϭ 67) or a depressive disorder (DD; n ϭ 38) carried an electronic diary for 28 days and responded to 9 impulsivity items up to 6 times per day. Item distributions and iterative exploratory factor analysis (EFA) results were examined to select the items that best captured momentary impulsivity. A brief 4-item scale was created that can be used for the assessment of momentary impulsivity. Model fit was good for both within-and between-individual EFA. As expected, the BPD group showed significantly higher scores on our Momentary Impulsivity Scale than the DD group, and the resulting scale was moderately correlated with common trait impulsivity scales.