The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and psychiatric symptoms: Relations among Asian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White emerging adults

Despite widespread use of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) in multicultural samples, few studies have examined how these measures relate to one another and to psychiatric symptoms among underrepresented groups, particularly Hispanic/Latino individuals. Objectives: We examined these associations across conceptually distinct measures of depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods: U.S. college-aged adults (N = 990; 58% women) identifying as Asian (19%), Hispanic or Latino (23%), or non-Hispanic White (58%) were included. Associations among ERQ, DERS, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were examined. Results: Reappraisal was negatively associated with DERS across groups, whereas suppression showed positive associations. Marginal ethnic differences emerged in ERQ-DERS relations, with a stronger positive reappraisal-suppression association among Asians than NHW. Associations between ER and psychiatric symptoms were broadly consistent with prior work but varied by ethnicity and symptom measure; most significant between-group differences reflected stronger associations among Hispanics. Notably, associations differed by symptom measure, with suppression more strongly related to DASS-defined anxiety and stress than to corresponding HADS or PSS measures in some groups. Conclusions: Associations between ER and psychiatric symptoms were not uniform across ethnic groups or symptom measures. Although prior work supports the factor structures of these measures, future research should determine whether these differences reflect socioculturally patterned processes, measurement non-equivalence, or both. Findings suggest that interpreting ER-symptom associations requires attention to sociocultural context and operationalization of symptoms, which may inform more equitable mental health assessment.