Emotion Regulation Strategies During COVID-19 Measures

Abstract

The Emotion Regulation Strategies During COVID-19 pandemic Measure (ERSCM; Baldwin et al., 2025) is an 18-item instrument developed to systematically assess the processes and behaviors underlying emotion regulation in adults during the initial phases of the pandemic.

The scale development involved a comprehensive literature survey conducted by members of the author team (AO and ST) to identify a broad range of potential strategies. These were refined down to 18 manageable items suitable for a daily diary study methodology. The selected strategies integrate classic models of emotional control with concepts related to problem-focused versus emotion-focused coping. Data collection utilized a combined sample of adults from the Northeastern United States and a nationally representative sample, both gathered during 2020. Initial reports confirm satisfactory item agreement and validity.

Keywords

Anxiety, COVID-19 Pandemic, Emotion Management, Emotion Regulation Strategies, Everyday Life, Anxiety Management, Emotional Regulation, Stress and Coping Measures, Health Anxiety, Coping Style.

Authors

Baldwin, Chayce R., Schertz, Kathryn E., Orvell, Ariana, Costello, Cory, Takahashi, Sakura, Moser, Jason S., Ayduk, Ozlem, Kross, Ethan.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ERSCM is to provide a detailed assessment of the specific emotional regulation strategies employed by individuals in their daily lives, particularly those strategies used in response to anxiety experienced during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

By focusing on daily usage, the measure helps researchers understand the dynamic interplay between stressful circumstances (the pandemic) and immediate coping mechanisms, providing insight into which behavioral and cognitive strategies were utilized to manage distress related to the ongoing health crisis.

Construct

The central construct measured by the ERSCM is the repertoire of conscious and deliberate emotion regulation strategies used by adults in response to pandemic-related stress and anxiety. This construct is operationalized through 18 distinct strategies encompassing various psychological approaches.

The strategies assessed range from traditionally studied regulatory techniques (e.g., reappraisal, distraction) to specific behavioral responses relevant to the pandemic context (e.g., physical activity, seeking social contact, avoidance behaviors, or substance use like alcohol consumption). The measure implicitly assesses the breadth of an individual’s “toolbox” of regulatory responses.

Validity

Initial findings support the ecological validity of the measure in capturing effective daily emotion management. Specifically, the study reported that the inverse relationship between daily anxiety levels and the use of strategies rated as relatively healthier remained consistent across diverse individuals.

This consistency suggests that the ERSCM successfully captures the general efficacy of specific regulatory actions, demonstrating that certain coping strategies maintain their beneficial effect on anxiety reduction regardless of individual differences or daily contextual variations.

Reliability

Reliability of the ERSCM was established through strong interrater agreement, which is crucial for measures assessing subjective daily experiences and behavioral endorsements.

The reported Interrater Reliability was substantial, indicated by an intraclass correlation (ICC 2k) of 0.96, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from [0.93, 0.98]. This high level of agreement confirms the consistency and objectivity in scoring or interpretation across raters.

Factor Analysis

As of the initial publication (Baldwin et al., 2025), specific data derived from factor analysis regarding the underlying dimensional structure of the 18 items were not explicitly available in the source material.

Instrument

Test Type: Original

Format: The instrument is structured as an 18-item binary checklist utilized within a daily diary methodology. Participants indicated whether they used a specific strategy to reduce their COVID-19 related anxiety on a given day (coded as 1 = yes, 0 = no). The administration method was electronic. The test items are available.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human (Male, Female, and other gender identities reported).

Age Group: Suitable for Adulthood (18 yrs & older), including Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs), Thirties (30-39 yrs), Middle Age (40-64 yrs), and Aged (65 yrs & older). The reported age range in the sample was 21-77 years.

Population Details: Data were collected from two distinct adult samples in the United States: a sample of adults residing in the Northeastern U.S. (Spring 2020) and a Nationally Representative Sample of adults (Early Fall 2020). Reported gender identities included Male, Female, Nonbinary, or Preferring Not to Respond.

Test Methodology: The test methodology focuses on assessing internal consistency and agreement metrics, encompassing test validity, test reliability, and interrater reliability, to ensure the quality and consistency of the daily measure.

Keywords

Emotional Regulation, Health Attitude Measures, Coping Style, COVID-19, Physical Illness Attitudes, Stress and Coping, Daily Diary.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Baldwin, Chayce R.: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0685-1706

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Baldwin, Chayce R.: [email protected]

• Schertz, Kathryn E.: [email protected]

• Orvell, Ariana: [email protected]

• Kross, Ethan: [email protected]

Correspondence Address: Baldwin, Chayce R.: University of Michigan, Department of Psychology, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The measure is available for use in Research/Teaching purposes. There is no fee associated with the use of the scale, and commercial use is prohibited.

The test was published based on data collected during the 2020 pandemic, with the primary reference article year listed as 2025.

Reference’s

Baldwin, C. R., Schertz, K. E., Orvell, A., Costello, C., Takahashi, S., Moser, J. S., Ayduk, O., & Kross, E. (2025). Managing emotions in everyday life: Why a toolbox of strategies matters. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001492

Items of the Emotion Regulation Strategies During COVID-19 Measure

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

Instructions: Please indicate how often you used each of the following strategies to manage your emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Use the scale below:

1 = Never
2 = Rarely
3 = Sometimes
4 = Often
5 = Very Often

1. I exercised.

2. I spent time outside.

3. I thought about how this situation is not going to last forever.

4. I interacted with people (via phone, video call, text message, in person).

5. I sought physical comfort from others (e.g., through a hug, holding hands).

6. I reflected on how I was feeling in writing.

7. I thought about the big picture.

8. I used mindfulness or meditation.

9. I tried to find a silver lining.

10. I engaged in a religious ritual (e.g., prayer) or family ritual (e.g., cooking or sharing a certain meal).

11. I talked to others about the situation to get their perspective or advice about issues surrounding the coronavirus.

12. I laughed it off or found humor in the situation.

13. I distracted myself by thinking about something else or doing another activity.

14. I vented to others by talking to them about my feelings surrounding the coronavirus.

15. I ate/drank to make myself feel better (excluding alcohol).

16. I drank alcohol to make myself feel better.

17. I tried to hide my anxiety by not showing or talking about how I was feeling.

18. I refused to let myself think about my anxiety.