The FlexER-Scale: A new Self-report Measure of Individual Differences in Emotion Regulation Flexibility

Previous research on emotion regulation (ER) has primarily focused on individual strategies and their association with well-being and psychopathology. Recent frameworks emphasize a context-sensitive, goal-dependent approach, defining ER flexibility as the ability to adaptively adjust ER strategies based on contextual demands and personal goals. Despite growing evidence for its relevance, a concise self-report measure designed to capture trait-level, strategy-independent ER flexibility has been lacking. To address this gap, we developed the Flexible Emotion Regulation Scale (FlexER-Scale) and validated it using data from four independent samples (N = 1,019). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in an independent sample examined the scale’s structure; criterion validity was assessed via correlations with the WHO-5 Well-Being Index and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). The final 10-item FlexER-Scale demonstrated good psychometric properties, including satisfactory item discrimination and high internal consistency (α = .85). EFA suggested a two-factor structure differentiating hedonic and contra-hedonic ER flexibility, which was supported by CFA. The FlexER-Scale showed a significant positive correlation with psychological well-being, driven by the hedonic factor. Small but significant correlations with habitual reappraisal and suppression use provided initial evidence for discriminant validity. The FlexER-Scale is a promising tool for assessing ER flexibility, offering a concise alternative to existing measures by capturing adaptive regulatory variability without relying on predefined strategies. Future research should examine its construct validity, longitudinal stability, and predictive validity. Given that the validation was based on predominantly student samples from a German-speaking context, broader generalizability remains to be established.