Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - 16 (DERS-16)
What it is
The DERS-16 (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale – 16 Item Version) is a self-report questionnaire that helps assess how well someone manages their emotions. Emotion regulation is an essential skill for overall mental health, influencing how we handle stress, make decisions, and interact with others. The DERS-16 is a shorter version of the original DERS, making it quicker to complete while still providing a clear picture of someone’s challenges in regulating their emotions.
This tool can highlight areas where a person might struggle, such as feeling overwhelmed by emotions, acting impulsively, or having trouble understanding their feelings. It’s commonly used in therapy, research, and self-assessments to better understand emotional regulation.
How is it used
The DERS-16 is designed for adolescents and adults and usually takes around 5 minutes to complete. It asks individuals to reflect on their typical responses to emotions, helping identify areas where they might have difficulties. Because it’s quick to fill out, the DERS-16 is ideal for use in clinical settings, during therapy sessions, or even for self-reflection.
This tool is especially useful for identifying which aspects of emotional regulation might need improvement. It’s also valuable for tracking progress in therapy, as it can show how someone’s emotional management skills are changing over time.
What do the scores mean?
The DERS-16 includes 16 questions, with each one rated on a scale from 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always). Higher scores indicate more difficulties in regulating emotions. The scale covers five core areas of emotion regulation:
- Non-Acceptance: Difficulty accepting negative emotions.
- Goals: Trouble staying focused on goals when feeling upset.
- Impulse Control: Difficulty controlling impulsive behaviors when emotions are high.
- Emotional Awareness: Struggling to recognise and acknowledge emotions.
- Strategies: Feeling unable to use effective coping strategies to manage emotions.
The scores from each question are summed up to get a total score, with higher scores indicating greater challenges in managing emotions. Here’s how to interpret the total score:
- 16 to 32: Suggests strong emotional regulation. The person generally handles their emotions well.
- 33 to 48: Indicates moderate difficulties. There may be some challenges in specific areas, but they are usually manageable.
- 49 and above: Reflects significant difficulties in emotion regulation. This may suggest that therapeutic support or skills training could be helpful.
The DERS-16 can also help pinpoint specific areas where someone might be struggling. For example, if someone scores high in Impulse Control, it may indicate they react impulsively when emotions run high, while high scores in Non-Acceptance could suggest difficulty accepting negative feelings.
What does the research say?
The DERS-16 is backed by research and is widely used in both clinical practice and research settings. It has been shown to have strong reliability (producing consistent results) and validity (accurately measuring difficulties in emotion regulation). This shorter, 16-item version maintains the core elements of the original DERS while being more efficient to administer.
One of the strengths of the DERS-16 is its ability to quickly highlight specific areas where someone might need support, which can be incredibly helpful for guiding therapy. It’s a great tool for both initial assessments and for tracking progress in therapy over time.
Note: The DERS-16 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. Higher scores suggest it might be beneficial to explore ways to improve emotion regulation or seek support from a mental health professional.
Developer
Bjureberg et al. (2016). Development and Validation of a Brief Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale: The DERS-16. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 1–13.