BackgroundImpulsivity is involved in numerous psychiatric and addictive disorders, as well as in risky behaviors. The UPPS-P scale highlights five complementary impulsivity constructs (i.e., positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation, and sensation seeking) that possibly work as different pathways linking impulsivity to other disorders. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arab language short 20-item UPPS-P scale and to eventually validate it.MethodsParticipants were recruited online through e-mail invitations. After online informed consent was obtained, the questionnaires (the UPPS-P and the Compulsive Internet Use Scale [CIUS]) were completed anonymously. The five dimensions of the Arab UPPS-P model were assessed in a sample of 743 participants.ResultsAs in other linguistic assessments of the UPPS-P, confirmatory factor analysis showed the validity of a model with five different, but nonetheless interrelated, facets of impulsivity. A three-factor model with two higher order factors—urgency (negative and positive) and lack of conscientiousness (lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance)—and a third sensation seeking factor fit the data well, but to a lesser extent. The results suggested good internal consistency, with external validity shown from correlations between some of the UPPS-P components and a measure of addictive Internet use (the CIUS).ConclusionThe Arab short UPPS-P is a valid assessment tool with good psychometric properties and is suitable for online use.

Introduction: The psychometric properties of the Arab translation of the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) have been previously studied by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with AMOS software using the asymptotically distribution-free (ADF) estimator. Unidimensionality has been achieved at the cost of correlating several item variance errors. However, several reviews of SEM software packages and estimation methods indicate that the option of robust standard errors is not present in the AMOS package and that ADF estimation may yield biased parameter estimates. We therefore explored a second analysis through item response theory (IRT) using the parametric graded response model (GRM) and the marginal maximum likelihood (MML) estimation method embedded in the LTM package of R software. Differential item functioning (DIF) or item bias across subpopulations was also explored within IRT framework as different samples were investigated. The objective of the current study is to (1) analyze the Arab CIUS scale with IRT, (2) investigate DIF in three samples, and (3) contribute to the ongoing debate on Internet-use-related addictive behaviors using the CIUS items as a proxy. Methods: We assessed three samples of people, one in Algeria and two in Lebanon, with a total of 1520 participants. Results: Almost three out of every five items were highly related to the latent construct. However, the unidimensionality hypothesis was not supported. Furthermore, besides being locally dependent, the scale may be weakened by DIF across geographic regions. Some of the CIUS items related to increasing priority, impaired control, continued use despite harm, and functional impairment as well as withdrawal and coping showed good discriminative capabilities. Those items were endorsed more frequently than other CIUS items in people with higher levels of addictive Internet use. Conclusions: Contrary to earlier ADF estimation findings, unidimensionality of the CIUS scale was not supported by IRT parametric GRM in a large sample of Arab speaking participants. The results may be helpful for scale revision. By proxy, the study contributes to testing the validity of addiction criteria applied to Internet use related-addictive behaviors.

This article presents the sexual perception of young Lebanese students. We hypothesized that, in Lebanon and the Arab countries, premarital sex is forbidden by most cultures because of conservative societies and backgrounds. Sexuality lives as a "myth" in these conservative societies. We examined the influence of demographics and genders among a group of 706 Lebanese university students, from public and private universities, as well as the fluctuation of sexual beliefs and practices, based on their gender, demographics and social pressure. The method used was a questionnaire collected form n = 706 students, 446 females and 260 males. The female population of our sample is 62.9% of the total volunteers while the male population is 36.7%. They come from different religions (Christian, Muslim, Druze and Other), between May 2015 and December 2015. Quantitative significant results: 1) A non-conformity with the social and demographic pressure and an openness of the new generations. Similarly, it shows more permissiveness in flirting. Even though, parts of the negative answers were significantly linked to understanding the rules of prohibited sex (NO 32.4% for belief and NO 34.5% for practice); 2) the reality of Lebanese youth, their integrity in engaging in a relationship, and their true daily happening of social and peer pressure; 3) An opening to a natural outlook of sexual life, (25.5%) with reluctance on dating (51.1%); 4) An important significance is showed in the percentage between beliefs and practice: 18% in belief and 78.3% in practice (Q1) and 34.2% in belief and 60.8% in practice (Q2) emphasizing on the reality of sexual engagement within Lebanese youth; 5) However, reluctance in engaging in sexual activity and attachment and fear to social sanctions toward premarital sex and agreeing on abstinence before marriage. Quantitative findings supported the lack of sexual education and the prevalence of religious and social norms. This article examines Young Lebanese adolescents do not always have the same views neither the same patterns of sexual behaviors between men and women. Education and awareness are the keys to a healthy sexual life. Specifically, it considers the way they receive their sexual education, the acceptance and refusal of differences between genders, beliefs and practices. It becomes a real challenge 300when it comes to early learning and education, openness, and real communication of sexual life, being a natural part of life, with honesty and transparency.

This article presents the impact of drugs, alcohol and pornographic movies on the sexual performance of Young Lebanese students. We hypothesized that porn movies, psychoactive substances and alcohol, known as having aphrodisiac effects on human, could have diverse or reverse effects on sexual functions and quality of loving relationships. The method used was a questionnaire answered by a total of 706 young Lebanese university students, 446 females and 260 males, aged between 18 and 25 years old. The study intended to examine the differences between "In belief" and "In practice" answers and among males and females. The results showed high percentage of the usage of ecstasy and marijuana, while the Lebanese youth did not experiment its effect on their sexual performance. Moreover, having an energy drink mixed with alcohol was not intended to have a better sexual performance, but in practice the answers were lessen, which could demonstrate that their expectations or beliefs toward the effect of energy drink on their sexual performance could have had better results. Likewise, most of the population of Lebanese females did not experience having sex after drinking an energy drink mixed with alcohol. The same could be stated for males that could indicate that they did not experience it, or they are not sure if the effects improve their sexual performance. Lebanese youth had a preconceived idea of the effect of pornographic films on raising desire and sexual performance; but the results expressed that many of the students did not try the effects of pornographic films on the sexual performance; it was similar for males that could indicate that they did not experience it or they were not positive if its effects improved their sexual performance. The females believe that pornographic movies influence the sexual performance however they do not know if pornographic films are an enhancer of the sexual relationship and the desire accompanying it as they might not have experienced it. An important strength of the study was the ability to find that females are more reluctant on expressing their experiences of the usage of drugs, alcohol and pornographic movies on their sexual performance.This study demonstrated some limits if we acknowledge the young age of the population as they are students and the patriarchal structure of the Lebanese society that is still existing in Lebanon, and the sense of unequaled powers between males and females. The reservation observed through the answers might be associated with the lack of information or the inability to unveil their sexual activities and desire. The utmost population was demographically concentrated in rural areas, 44.3%, in Mount Lebanon, 25.3%, South of Lebanon and only 19.6% in Beirut, and the rest between North Lebanon and the Bekaa area. Noting that the female population of our sample is 62.9% while the male population is 36.7%, which lead us to conclude that the female coming from rural areas, and from conservative society either fear social sanctions disclosing premarital se...

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