Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)

Abstract

The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) is a concise, 10-item self-report scale designed to measure the individual tendency to employ two distinct emotion regulation strategies. Developed by James J. Gross and Oliver P. John, the instrument quantifies the habitual use of Cognitive Reappraisal and Expressive Suppression. Respondents evaluate each item using a 7-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), providing a robust measure for research into affective processes and well-being.

Keywords

Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, ERQ, Cognitive Reappraisal, Expressive Suppression, Affect, Well-being, Individual Differences, Self-report scale.

Authors

James J. Gross, Oliver P. John.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ERQ is to provide a standardized, psychometrically sound measure for assessing individual differences in the habitual deployment of two theoretically distinct strategies of emotion regulation. This differentiation is critical because these two strategies—reappraisal and suppression—have been shown to have vastly different implications for psychological, social, and physiological functioning.

The scale allows researchers to investigate how stable regulatory tendencies predict outcomes related to affective experience (positive and negative emotions), interpersonal relationships, and general psychological adjustment. By focusing on these two strategies, the ERQ efficiently captures a central dimension of emotional competence.

Construct

The ERQ measures two core constructs derived from Gross’s influential Process Model of Emotion Regulation:

• Cognitive Reappraisal: This antecedent-focused strategy involves changing the way one thinks about a potentially emotion-eliciting situation to modify its emotional impact. It is generally considered an adaptive strategy.
• Expressive Suppression: This response-focused strategy involves inhibiting the behavioral expression of an ongoing emotion (e.g., hiding a smile or stifling tears). It occurs later in the emotion generation process and is generally associated with maladaptive outcomes.

The scale operationalizes the theoretical distinction between strategies that modulate the emotional response early in its trajectory (reappraisal) versus those that modify the response late in its trajectory (suppression).

Validity

The original validation study (Gross & John, 2003) provided substantial evidence for the validity of the ERQ. Construct validity was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis, which supported the hypothesized two-factor structure.

Convergent validity was demonstrated through expected correlations with established personality measures; for example, Reappraisal typically correlates positively with extraversion and openness, while Expressive Suppression often correlates positively with neuroticism. Criterion validity was shown by the differential prediction of affective consequences: Reappraisal predicts greater positive affect and well-being, whereas Suppression predicts less positive affect and, sometimes, increased negative affect and impaired social functioning.

Reliability

The ERQ exhibits strong reliability, primarily assessed through internal consistency and test-retest reliability across various samples.

• Internal Consistency: The Cognitive Reappraisal subscale (6 items) consistently shows high internal reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients typically ranging between .79 and .82 in non-clinical adult samples. The Expressive Suppression subscale (4 items) also demonstrates acceptable internal consistency, generally yielding alpha coefficients between .73 and .76.
• Test-Retest Reliability: Studies have shown adequate stability over time (e.g., three-month intervals), confirming that the ERQ measures stable, habitual tendencies in emotion regulation rather than temporary states.

Factor Analysis

The foundational psychometric work on the ERQ firmly established a two-factor structure. The scale was developed specifically to isolate and measure these two constructs, ensuring minimal overlap.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) consistently supports the model where the 10 items load onto two independent, or weakly correlated, factors: Factor 1 comprises the six items related to Cognitive Reappraisal, and Factor 2 comprises the four items related to Expressive Suppression. This clean bifactorial structure is a hallmark of the scale’s design, confirming that reappraisal and suppression are utilized independently by individuals.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale measuring individual differences in emotion regulation strategies.

Format: 10 items scored on a 7-point Likert-type scale (1 = Strongly disagree, 4 = Neutral, 7 = Strongly agree).

Language Available: English (original), with numerous validated translations available worldwide (e.g., German, Spanish, Chinese, Dutch).

Population Group: General population, clinical samples, and college students.

Age Group: Older adolescents and Adults.

Population Details: Primarily developed and validated using non-clinical adult samples, ensuring broad applicability across various research domains in psychology and health sciences.

Test Methodology: Standard self-report questionnaire methodology. Scoring involves two separate sums: Reappraisal scores are calculated by summing items 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 10. Suppression scores are calculated by summing items 2, 4, 6, and 9.

Keywords

Psychometrics, Affective science, Self-regulation, Personality, JPSP, Reappraisal, Suppression.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source. (Note: ORCID identifiers are available via academic records for the authors.)

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source. (Note: Correspondence typically directed to the authors’ institutional affiliations, such as Stanford University or UC Berkeley.)

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source. (Note: Correspondence regarding scale usage is typically directed to James J. Gross.)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire is widely available and typically free for use in academic research, provided appropriate citation is given to the original 2003 publication. Researchers should confirm specific permission requirements with the authors’ laboratories for commercial or clinical applications.

Test Year: 2003.

Reference’s

The foundational paper establishing the ERQ is:

• Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: Implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 348-362.

Related theoretical and validation references include:

• Gross, J. J. (1999). Emotion regulation: past, present, future. Cognition and Emotion, 13, 551–573.
• Gross, J. J. (2002). Emotion regulation: affective, cognitive, and social consequences. Psychophysiology, 39, 281–291.
• John, O. P., & Gross, J. J. (2004). Healthy and unhealthy emotion regulation: personality processes, individual differences, and lifespan development. Journal of Personality, 72, 1301–1334.
• Spaapen, D. L., Waters, F., Brummer, L., Stopa, L., & Bucks, R. S. (2014). The emotion regulation questionnaire: validation of the ERQ-9 in two community samples. Psychological Assessment, 26(1):46-54. doi: 10.1037/a0034474.

The original PDF of the 2003 validation paper can be downloaded here: Gross, J.J., & John, O.P. (2003) PDF Link. Further copies of the instrument are available at: ERQ PDF and ERQ PDF (MIDSS).

Items of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. When I want to feel more positive emotion (such as joy or amusement)‚ I change what I’m thinking about.

2. I keep my emotions to myself.

3. When I want to feel less negative emotion (such as sadness or anger)‚ I change what I’m thinking about.

4. When I am feeling positive emotions‚ I am careful not to express them.

5. When I’m faced with a stressful situation‚ I make myself think about it in a way that helps me stay calm.

6. I control my emotions by not expressing them.

7. When I want to feel more positive emotion‚ I change the way I’m thinking about the situation.

8. I control my emotions by changing the way I think about the situation I’m in.

9. When I am feeling negative emotions‚ I make sure not to express them.

10. When I want to feel less negative emotion‚ I change the way I’m thinking about the situation.

• Cognitive Reappraisal (Items 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10)
• Expressive Suppression (Items 2, 4, 6, 9)