A Brief Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS): Validity Evidence in Ecuadorian Population

Abstract

Due to the scarcity of evaluation instruments on the construct of difficulties in emotional regulation in the Ecuadorian university context, the objective of the present study was to adapt linguistically and to study the psychometric properties of the Difficulty Scale in Emotional Regulation (DERS) in a sample of Ecuadorian university students. A non-probability sample of 1172 participants between 17 and 32 years of age (M = 21.99; DT = 2.49), which consisted of 58.6% women and 41.4% men, was used. The research was carried out in three stages. The first study evaluated the Ecuadorian linguistic adaptation of the scale. The second study referred to the factorization by main axes identifying five factors (Lack of emotional understanding; Limited access to regulation strategies; Difficulties in impulse control; Interferences in goal-directed behaviors; Lack of emotional clarity) theoretically interpretable, which explain 49.22% of the variance. The third study developed a confirmatory factor analysis that specified an acceptable fit of the model (GFI = .95; AGFI =.95; NFI = .94; RMR = .11). The reliability coefficients are acceptable as .90 Cronbach’s alpha and .91 McDonald’s omega. In conclusion, it is mentioned that the Ecuadorian version of the DERS in a university sample exhibits good psychometric characteristics of internal structure and responses.