Development of the short and super-short version of the Emergency Reaction Questionnaire

Abstract

Emergencies are sudden, life-threatening situations that challenge individuals' ability to respond effectively. The Emergency Reaction Questionnaire (ERQ) is a measure widely used to assess individual differences in emergency behavior; however, its 30-item length may limit its utility in certain contexts. Consequently, in this study, we aimed to develop two abbreviated versions of the ERQ: a short form retaining the original factor structure, and a super-short form that still captures the two core dimensions of readiness and helplessness. We used Item Response Theory to evaluate the psychometric properties of ERQ items and reduce the length of the scale on a large community sample (N = 1448). We assessed external validity on a subsample of participants (N = 415). Our results showed that the 16-item short and 6-item super-short forms effectively preserved the psychometric robustness of the original ERQ. Both versions successfully differentiated participants, with readiness scales exhibiting a normal distribution and helplessness scales clustering at the extremes. External validity analyses confirmed positive associations between readiness scores and sensation seeking, while helplessness scores were positively correlated with anxiety and trauma sensitivity. These findings align with theoretical frameworks of defensive behavior and support the utility of the ERQ short forms for assessing adaptive and maladaptive responses to emergencies. The ERQ short forms provide versatile tools for a variety of settings, including large-scale screening, disaster preparedness education, and resilience training programs.