Examining Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire in an Ecuadorian Sample

Abstract

The most popular instrument used to measure emotional regulation is the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), allowing researchers to study intergroup differences in emotional regulation across many different cultures. However, to make multi-group comparisons, factors within the measurement instrument must be invariant across groups. This invariance is necessary to ensure that any significant differences found between groups are due to group affiliation and not due to measurement errors in the instrument’s factors. The study examined measurement invariance of the ERQ by gender using an Ecuadorian sample, where very few studies have previously investigated this issue. The sample included 815 college students. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the bi-factor model presented the best fit. The ERQ was invariant by gender at the strict level according to multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. The ERQ also presented good reliability scores for both men and women with no significant differences between genders. These results confirm that the ERQ is a reliable instrument and that it can detect differences in the use of emotional regulation strategies between men and women without risking errors caused by measurement variance.

Climate Change Scepticism Questionnaire: structure and factor invariance with respect to gender in a group of Spanish adults / Escala de Escepticismo hacia el Cambio Climático: su estructura e invarianza factorial respecto al género en grupo de adultos españoles

“…Regarding measurement equivalence by gender, the CCS-Q found that the measure at an independent level (men vs. women) has adequate fits for each group. In addition, considering restrictions on loadings, intercepts and residuals, we found that the changes observed do not exceed the tolerance values (Asparouhov & Muthén, 2014; Brown, 2015; Meade et al, 2008; Moreta-Herrera et al, 2022), so the CCS-Q is invariant at the metric, strong and strict levels. This is relevant since there is evidence that allows us to estimate that probable differences in the interpretation of climate scepticism values between groups classified by gender would respond in reality to differences arising from the particular characteristics of the groups, rather than differences in the mechanics of interpretation of the measure by the groups (Caycho-Rodríguez et al, 2022; Meade et al, 2008; Moreta-Herrera et al, 2024), thus ensuring the veracity of the scores and the respective interpretation.…”

“…Sobre la EM basado en el género. El ECSS se encontró que la medida a nivel independiente (hombres vs. mujeres) cuenta con ajustes adecuados para cada grupo, además, ya considerando restricciones a las cargas, interceptos y residuales se encuentran que los cambios encontrados no superan los valores de tolerancia (Asparouhov & Muthén, 2014;Brown, 2015;Meade et al, 2008;Moreta-Herrera et al, 2022) por lo que se considera que la ECSS es invariante a nivel métrico, fuerte y estricto. Esto es relevante considerar dado que existe evidencia que permite estimar que probables diferencias en la interpretación de los valores de escepticismo climático entre grupos clasificados por género responderían en realidad a diferencias provenientes de las características particulares de los grupos, que de diferencias en la mecánica de interpretación de la medida por parte de los grupos (Caycho-Rodríguez et al, 2022;Meade et al, 2008;Moreta-Herrera et al, 2024), garantizando así, la veracidad de los puntajes y la respectiva interpretación.…”

“…Subsequently, the scale restrictions based on an unrestricted assessment are analysed, and the loadings (metric or weak invariance), intercepts (strong invariance) and residuals (strict invariance) are subsequently delimited and the differential or change (Δ) in the estimators χ 2 is analysed, CFI and RMSEA , at each restriction level. Measurement equivalence is considered according to the restriction level when the differential is not significant in χ 2 ( p > .05) or does not exceed .2 in the CFI or RMSEA (Asparouhov & Muthén, 2014; Brown, 2015; Meade et al, 2008; Moreta-Herrera et al, 2022)…”

“…A posterior, se analizan las restricciones a la escala que parten de una evaluación sin restricciones y se delimitan a posterior las cargas (invarianza métrica o débil), los interceptos (invarianza fuerte) y los residuales (invarianza estricta) y se analiza el diferencial o cambio (Δ) en los estimadores χ 2 , CFI y RMSEA en cada nivel de restricción. Se considera la equivalencia de medida según el nivel de restricción cuando el diferencial es no significativo en el χ 2 ( p > .05) o no supera .2 en el CFI o el RMSEA (Asparouhov & Muthén, 2014; Brown, 2015; Meade et al, 2008; Moreta-Herrera et al, 2022)…”

Estrategias de regulación emocional cognitiva: diferencias de género en Ecuador

“…La regulación emocional es el control que los individuos tienen sobre qué emociones sienten, cuándo las sienten y cómo las expresan, permitiendo que se adapten de forma efectiva y funcional en situaciones de estrés (Gross, 2015;Moreta-Herrera et al, 2022). La regulación emocional proporciona al sujeto la capacidad de influir en sus emociones y gestionar mejor sus reacciones y comportamientos, resultando en un desenvolvimiento cotidiano exitoso.…”