The Emotion Regulation Flexibility Questionnaire: A Rasch-Validated Version for Children

The ability to effectively use different emotion regulation (ER) strategies across situations—i.e., ER flexibility (ERF)—plays a key role in emotional intelligence and social functioning. However, it has rarely been studied in young people, partly due to the lack of age-appropriate measurement instruments. This study investigated children’s perceptions of ERF by adapting an adult scale and proposing the 10-item Emotion Regulation Flexibility Questionnaire for Children (ERFQ-C). A sample of 346 children aged 9–12 years was recruited, who completed the ERFQ-C along with questionnaires assessing emotion malleability and school-related well-being. First, the analyses confirmed the scale’s unidimensional structure and measurement invariance across sex and school level. Second, the scale showed adequate fit to the Rasch model, and item scores were converted into Rasch scores. Third, path analyses indicated that emotion malleability was positively associated with ERF perception, which, in turn, was positively associated with school-related well-being. Notwithstanding the limitations of self-report data, the instrument can be used in future research to advance theoretical understanding of the intertwinement between perceived ERF and other constructs related to children’s functioning (e.g., emotional intelligence) and inform interventions aimed at improving youth well-being.