Turkish version of the 8-item difficulties in emotion regulation scale (DERS-8): validity, reliability, and measurement invariance by sex at birth

Emotion regulation difficulties are linked to a range of psychological and behavioral challenges, highlighting the importance of accurate and efficient assessment tools. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and its abbreviated versions (DERS-8 and DERS-16) have been widely used for this purpose. Among these, the DERS-8 offers a brief, unidimensional measure with promising psychometric properties, though it has been evaluated in limited cultural contexts. This study examined the psychometric properties of the DERS-8 among Turkish young adults (N = 425), focusing on reliability, construct validity, and measurement invariance across sex at birth. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to examine the factor structure of the DERS-8 and compare it with the original DERS-36 and DERS-16. Results indicated acceptable fit for the DERS-8 (χ²/df = 3.23, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.07). Both the DERS-8 and the DERS-16 showed superior fit (χ²/df = 1.74, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.04) compared to the DERS-36, which exhibited marginal fit. Correlations with the DERS-16 and DERS-36 supported strong convergent validity. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations with measures of psychological symptoms, affect, experiential avoidance, and personality traits. Multi-group CFA confirmed measurement invariance of the DERS-8 across males and females. These findings establish the DERS-8 as a reliable and culturally adaptable tool for assessing emotion regulation difficulties among Turkish young adults, offering a practical alternative for research and clinical settings where brevity is essential.