Dif ficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS): The italian translation and adaptation

Cecilia Sighinolfi, Andrea Norcini Pala, Luigi Rocco Chiri, Igor Marchetti, Claudio Sica

The Diffi culties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is one of the tests used most frequently to
assess the diffi culties in emotion regulation in the adult population. The Italian version of the DERS
was applied to 190 adults, and in addition, a subgroup (81 adults) compiled a series of parallel
tests. The results of a confi rmatory factor analysis did not confi rm the original structure, while an
exploratory factor analysis indicated six different dimensions of emotion regulation. The tool has good
psychometric properties. The total score correlates positively with negative emotion and negatively
with positive emotion. Trait anxiety was found to be associated with the DERS total score and with the
scale of Distraction diffi culties, while depression correlates with the total and with the scales relating
to the diffi culty in controlling impulses and accessing the emotion regulation strategies. In conclusion,
the DERS can be considered a useful tool to measure the emotion regulation strategies also in the
Italian context.

Keywords
Emotion regulation, questionnaire, adult population.

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