Self-Regulation Questionnaire

Abstract

The Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ) is a concise psychological scale designed to measure an individual’s capacity for self-management across several critical domains. Specifically, the SRQ assesses the ability of a subject—often focusing on youth or adolescents—to regulate their emotions, control their behavior, manage their cognitions, and demonstrate effective goal-setting skills. The instrument is valuable for researchers and practitioners seeking a straightforward measure of self-regulatory deficits or strengths, often used in contexts such as health psychology and out-of-school time programs.

The scale consists of 13 items utilizing a 4-point response format. Scoring involves reverse coding several items to ensure that a higher total score consistently reflects a greater capacity for self-regulation. Its structure implies distinct subscales related to inhibitory control and proactive planning.

Keywords

self-regulation, emotion regulation, behavioral control, goal-setting, psychological assessment, inhibitory control, youth development, self-management

Authors

Novak, S.P.; Clayton, R.R.; Bandy, T.; Moore, K.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire is to quantify the subjective experience and observable tendencies related to an individual’s self-regulatory capacity. It serves as a practical tool for quickly identifying individuals who may struggle with emotional volatility, impulsive behaviors, or lack foresight in planning and achieving long-term objectives. The scale is particularly useful in research aiming to link self-regulation abilities to various outcomes, such as health behaviors (e.g., smoking transitions, as noted in the foundational research) or academic and social success in youth programs.

The instrument provides distinct scores for different aspects of self-control, allowing practitioners to tailor interventions to specific areas of weakness, such as difficulties in emotional management versus problems with proactive goal formulation.

Construct

The SRQ operationalizes the broad psychological construct of Self-Regulation. Self-regulation is defined as the process by which individuals manage their thoughts, feelings, and actions to achieve their goals. This construct is multifaceted, encompassing elements of emotional regulation, behavioral inhibition, and executive functions related to planning and cognitive control.

The scale specifically targets three key dimensions of self-regulation: emotional control (the ability to manage intense feelings and temper), behavioral control/cognition (the ability to inhibit distracting behaviors and respond effectively to immediate environmental demands), and proactive goal-setting (the ability to develop and execute plans for future success). By separating these elements, the SRQ provides a nuanced view of regulatory strengths and weaknesses.

Validity

While specific detailed validity coefficients (e.g., convergent, discriminant) are typically found in the primary research literature (Novak & Clayton, 2001), the SRQ is utilized based on its established face validity and content validity related to established theories of self-control. The items are derived to directly reflect common behavioral and emotional manifestations of regulatory failure (e.g., losing temper, getting distracted) and regulatory success (e.g., planning, considering consequences).

In applied settings, such as those described by Bandy & Moore (2010), the scale’s utility serves as evidence of its ecological validity, demonstrating its relevance in assessing self-regulatory skills critical for success in educational and psychosocial programming.

Reliability

The reliability of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire would typically be measured using internal consistency estimates, such as Cronbach’s alpha, for the total scale score and its subscales. Although the specific alpha values are not provided in the source excerpt, the continued use of the instrument suggests acceptable levels of internal consistency have been reported in the literature, ensuring that the items within each subscale reliably measure the intended underlying construct (e.g., emotional control).

Factor Analysis

The structure of the SRQ, as outlined in the scoring instructions, implies a multi-factor solution, suggesting that Self-Regulation is not measured as a single, unitary construct but rather as a composite of distinct, though related, abilities. The items are grouped into three primary, implied factors:

• Emotional Regulation: Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (focusing on temper control and managing frustration).
• Goal-Setting Ability: Items 6, 7, and 8 (focusing on planning and future consequences).
• Behavioral/Cognitive Control: Items 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 (focusing on distraction management and physical restlessness).

A formal factor analysis would confirm whether these three conceptual domains demonstrate adequate statistical separation and internal coherence.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale/Questionnaire

Format: 13 items using a 4-point Likert scale response format.

Language Available: English (as presented in the source material).

Population Group: Youth and Adolescents.

Age Group: Typically used with school-age children through adolescence, though applicable to any population where the behaviors listed are relevant.

Population Details: The scale has been utilized in studies focusing on high-risk behaviors (e.g., smoking) and in assessments for out-of-school time program participants.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate the degree to which each statement is true for them using the following key: 1 = Never True, 2 = Sometimes True, 3 = Mostly True, 4 = Always True. Several items require reverse coding (Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13) before summing scores to calculate the total self-regulation capacity score or subscale scores.

Keywords

self-control, impulsivity, emotional intelligence, planning, executive function, assessment instrument, psychometrics

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The specific permissions and associated fees for commercial or clinical use should be sought directly from the primary authors (Novak & Clayton). The scale was featured prominently in the 2001 study by Novak and Clayton and subsequently published in the 2010 practitioner guide by Bandy and Moore. The original PDF guide, which contains this instrument on page 3, is available online. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Child_Trends-2010_10_05_RB_AssesSelfReg.pdf

Reference’s

• Novak‚ S.P.‚ & Clayton‚ R. R. (2001). The influence of school environment and self-regulation on transitions between stages of cigarette smoking: A multilevel analysis. Healthy Psychology‚ 20‚ 196-207.
• Bandy‚ T. & Moore‚ K. (2010). Assessing self-regulation: A guide for out-of-school time program practitioners. Results-to-Research Brief #2010-23. Child Trends.

Items of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire

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

• 1. I have a hard time controlling my temper.
• 2. I get so frustrated I feel ready to explode.
• 3. I get upset easily.
• 4. I am afraid I will lose control over my feelings.
• 5. I slam doors when I am mad.
• 6. I develop a plan for all my important goals.
• 7. I think about the future consequences of my actions.
• 8. Once I have a goal‚ I make a plan to reach it.
• 9. I get distracted by little things.
• 10. As soon as I see things that are not working‚ I do something about it.
• 11. I get fidgety after a few minutes if I am supposed to sit still.
• 12. I have a hard time sitting still during important tasks.
• 13. I find that I bounce my legs or wiggle with objects.