State-based measurement of emotion regulation: The Turkish versions of SERI and S-DERS

Recent studies emphasize the importance of state-based measurement of emotion regulation because of its context-sensitive and flexible background. In many studies, emotion regulation is measured as state-based as well as trait-based; however, only a few offers standard measurements. The State Emotion Regulation Inventory (SERI) and the State-Difficulties in Emotion Regulation (S-DERS) are standardized scales specifically designed for this purpose. Ultimately, the aim of this study was to adapt these scales into Turkish and investigate their psychometric properties using a laboratory-based emotion induction procedure. The data were collected from 167 undergraduate students. They first filled out trait-based scales, were then recruited to the stage of negative emotional state induction, and, finally, responded to the question in the SERI and the S-DERS to evaluate their emotion regulation experiences during the emotion induction phase. As a result, we confirmed the four-factor structures of the scales with good internal consistencies. While the SERI had weak associations with emotion dysregulation, thought control, and psychological distress, the S-DERS had strong relationships with these variables. Moreover, the incremental validities of the SERI and the S-DERS were acceptable when predicting both negative emotional state and psychological distress. Overall, our results suggest that the SERI and S-DERS are psychometrically valid and reliable measurements to assess state emotion regulation in Turkish speakers.