Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026
08:09
Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
12.0K
The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF): Validation and Replication in Adolescent and Adult
Erin A Kaufman1, Mengya Xia2, Gregory Fosco2
1Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E. BEHS 502, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment
|January 12, 2026
Summary
A new short-form version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-SF) was developed. This streamlined instrument maintains the original measure's psychometric properties while reducing respondent burden.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Emotion dysregulation is a key feature of many psychological conditions.
- The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is a validated measure for assessing emotion regulation difficulties.
- The DERS contains 36 items across six subscales, potentially leading to respondent burden.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a short-form version of the DERS (DERS-SF).
- To reduce respondent burden and streamline the assessment of emotion regulation problems.
- To maintain the psychometric integrity of the original DERS.
Main Methods:
- Confirmatory factor analysis was employed.
- Data were collected from adolescent (n=257) and adult (n=797) samples.
- The DERS-SF was created by reducing the number of items from the full DERS.
Main Results:
- The DERS-SF demonstrated strong correlations with the full DERS (r=.90-.98), indicating 81-96% shared variance.
- The short-form instrument retained the total and subscale scores of the original measure.
- The DERS-SF maintained excellent psychometric properties with half the items.
Conclusions:
- The DERS-SF is a psychometrically sound and efficient measure for assessing emotion regulation difficulties.
- This shortened scale reduces participant burden while preserving the comprehensive assessment of the original DERS.
- The DERS-SF is suitable for use in research and clinical settings with adolescent and adult populations.
More Related Videos
12:55Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
Published on: September 27, 2020
9.0K
13:08Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
Published on: December 2, 2015
9.3K
Related Concept Videos
01:25Self-Regulation
206
Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...
206
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
418
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Primary Temperament Types
418
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.9K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.9K
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.7K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.7K
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
271
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
271
01:29The Influence of Cognition on Affect
178
Cognition plays a pivotal role in shaping emotional experiences, as demonstrated by Schachter and Singer’s two-factor theory of emotion. According to this model, emotion arises from a combination of physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. The body’s physiological response to stimuli is ambiguous and only gains emotional significance through cognitive labeling. For instance, an increased heart rate and adrenaline surge while standing near an attractive person may be...
178