Factor structures and psychometric properties of three brief versions of the difficulties in emotion regulation scale in the Korean population.

Abstract

Background: This study examined the latent factor structures and psychometric properties of three brief versions of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS)-DERS-SF, DERS-18, and DERS-16-across large-scale samples of the Korean population.

Methods: Participants from two independent community samples (N = 862 and N = 1,242) completed an online self-report survey, including brief versions of the DERS and associated measures. Confirmatory factor analyses were employed to examine the latent factor structures of the brief versions of the DERS with comparable models. The internal consistency, concurrent validity, and convergent validity of the brief versions of the DERS were also assessed.

Results: The findings revealed that the bifactor models of the DERS-SF and DERS-18, excluding the Awareness subscale, showed superior fit indices for latent factor structure and favorable reliability. By contrast, the DERS-16 exhibited inadequate fit. Scores from the DERS-SF and DERS-18 demonstrated significant associations with indicators of psychological distress, supporting their convergent validity. The Awareness subscale showed lower internal consistency and distinctive correlation patterns with clinical outcomes.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the robustness of the DERS-SF and DERS-18 as parsimonious and efficient measures of emotion dysregulation with fewer items than the original version. Furthermore, this study provides additional support for excluding the Awareness subscale when using the brief versions of the DERS.