Psychometric Properties of the Behavioral-Emotional Regulation Questionnaire in Peruvian Adults (BERQ-PA)

Behavioral and cognitive regulation of emotions is crucial for adaptation and mental health. Measuring it with valid and reliable instruments is essential, especially in Peru. The objective of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Peruvian version of the Behavioral Regulation of Emotions Questionnaire (BERQ-PA) in a sample of 403 adults from Lima, aged between 18 and 59 years (M = 32.3, SD = 10.1; 65.8% women). Participants completed the BERQ-PA, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess the validity of the internal structure. The BERQ-PA scores were correlated with those of the ERQ and GHQ-28 to check concurrent and convergent validity. Reliability was established by internal consistency analysis, and factorial invariance according to sex was evaluated using a multigroup CFA. The CFA confirmed the original five-factor model; however, two items had factor loadings lower than 0.40. For this reason, an alternative five-factor, 18-item model was evaluated that showed optimal fit indices (S-Bχ² = 299, df = 125, χ²/df = 2.39, CFI = 0.959, TLI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.048 [90% CI: 0.039-0.057], SRMR = 0.069). The alpha and omega coefficients of the five subscales were greater than 0.70, confirming reliability. The correlations between the BERQ, ERQ, and GHQ-28 subscales evidenced convergent and concurrent validity. Factorial invariance according to sex was confirmed. The BERQ-PA is a valid and reliable measure of the behavioral regulation of emotions, standing out for its usefulness for research, psychological assessment, and the assessment of interventions in the Peruvian context.