Can the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale be even shorter? Development of the DERS-7
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background: A 15-item version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-15) has previously been tested in Latin America. However, its factor structure remains unclear. Previous evidence suggests that, after removing the Awareness item, the scale is essentially unidimensional. Objective: This study aimed to shorten the DERS-15 and develop a clearly unidimensional version that includes items from all the original dimensions of the scale. Methods: Two Mexican samples seeking psychological care were analyzed (n₁ = 1,383; n₂ = 2,464). A series of exploratory factor analyses was conducted to develop a shorter version of the scale. The resulting 7-item version, referred to as the DERS-7, was then evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis, reliability estimation, measurement invariance testing by sex, and associations with related variables. Results: The DERS-7 showed excellent model fit in the confirmatory phase (CFI = .99, RMSEA = .06) and adequate internal consistency reliability (ω = .88). The scale was invariant between sexes, and its associations with other variables were very similar to those observed for the longer version. Conclusions: The DERS-7 appears to be a promising alternative for measuring emotional dysregulation when a global score is desired and administering longer versions of the scale is not feasible.
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Award: G640174550
OpenAlex ID: W7164752275