UPPS-R-Child Positive Urgency Questionnaire for Children: Assessing Impulsive Responses to Positive Emotions
A questionnaire that helps healthcare providers understand how children respond to positive emotions and whether they tend to act impulsively when feeling happy or excited.
{"Measures impulsivity in children, specifically how they behave when feeling happy or excited","Helps identify risky or impulsive behaviors that may need support","Completed by the child with possible parental input","Used to understand emotional regulation and decision-making patterns","Results help healthcare providers develop appropriate interventions if needed"}
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 66712-1
- Short code
- UPPS-R-C
- Synonyms
- Actions lead to trouble UPPS-R-C
- Category
- chemistry
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- paper questionnaire or electronic tablet
- Units
- N/A
- Ref low
- 1
- Ref high
- 33
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- 8–17 years
- Method
- upps-r-c
- CPT
- 96127
- SNOMED
- 76168009
- Specimen volume
- N/A
- Stability
- N/A
- Hemolysis max
- 500
- Lipemia max
- 1000
- Icterus max
- 500
- TAT
- 24–72 hours
- Order
- routine
What is the UPPS-R-Child test and why might my child's doctor recommend it?
The UPPS-R-Child is a psychological assessment questionnaire designed for children. It asks a series of questions about how children respond when they feel really happy or excited. The test helps parents and clinicians understand whether a child tends to do things without thinking about the consequences when experiencing strong positive emotions.
What does the UPPS-R-Child test measure about my child's behavior and emotional responses?
This assessment measures something called "positive urgency" - which means how likely a child is to act impulsively when they feel happy, excited, or enthusiastic. It also looks at other aspects of impulsivity like planning ahead, perseverance, and sensation seeking.
How is the UPPS-R-Child test done, and what can my child expect when answering the questions?
The child will answer a series of questions about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. There are no blood tests or physical procedures involved. The questionnaire typically takes 10-15 minutes to complete.
Reference range
Scores interpreted as: Low (1-10), Moderate (11-21), High (22-33) for each subscale; Total score range 0-132 with higher scores indicating greater impulsivity-related traitsN/A
Patient should be in a calm state to respond accurately; Read questions aloud to younger children if needed; Ensure patient understands each statement before responding
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
This assessment helps healthcare providers identify children who may have difficulty controlling their impulses when feeling positive emotions. High scores may indicate a tendency toward impulsive behaviors during happy or excited states, which can sometimes lead to risky decisions. Early identification allows for appropriate support and intervention strategies to help the child develop better emotional regulation skills.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my child being asked to complete this questionnaire?
Is this a pass or fail test?
Will my child need to do this more than once?
Does a high score mean my child has a problem?
Sources
- 1
- 2
Click any link to access the full source. PubMed Central (PMC) links provide free full-text access.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 16, 2026. · Read our editorial policy