Emotion Regulation Inventory (ERI)

The Emotion Regulation Inventory (ERI) was developed by Roth, Assor, Niemiec, Ryan & Deci, 2009 to measure three styles of emotion regulation that correspond to autonomous, controlled, and impersonal modes of functioning, respectively (Roth, Vansteenkiste, & Ryan, 2019).

1. Integrative emotion regulation reflects an autonomous style of dealing with negative emotions. It involves a welcoming attitude towards negative emotions, openness and curiosity to understand the reasons behind negative emotions, and a willingness to learn from negative emotions as guides for future behavior. The high levels of emotional awareness typical of integrative emotion regulation allow people to express their emotions choicefully. 
   
2. Suppressive emotion regulation is more controlled in nature and reflects an inner compulsion to avoid or minimize negative emotions. It involves a lack of willingness to recognize negative emotions for oneself and a tendency to hide negative emotions towards others.
   
3. Dysregulated emotion regulation reflects an impersonal and helpless style of dealing with negative emotions. People with this emotion regulation style feel easily overwhelmed by negative emotions and express their negative emotions in ways they do not want.

The ERI initially consisted of 3 or 4 items per scale but was later adapted to include 6 items per scale. The original items used in Roth et al. (2009) are indicated with an asterisk in the downloadable PDF below.

Research has demonstrated adequate reliability and evidence for the internal structure of the ERI (see validation articles: Benita et al., 2020; Brenning et al., 2015; Roth et al., 2009). Moreover, the three scales from the ERI were found to relate to indicators of mental health in theoretically expected ways, with integrative emotion regulation relating positively to well-being and prosocial behavior (Benita et al., 2017, 2020) and with suppressive and dysregulated emotion regulation relating to increased risk for psychopathology (Brenning et al., 2022; Waterschoot et al., in press).

These associations have been confirmed in different countries (Benita et al., 2020). Each of the three emotion regulation were also predicted by theoretically plausible parental antecedents, with autonomy-supportive parenting relating positively to integrative emotion regulation and with controlling parenting relating positively to suppressive and dysregulated emotion regulation (see Brenning et al., 2015; Roth et al., 2009; Roth & Assor, 2012).

The ERI can be used to measure individuals’ regulation of negative emotions in general but also their regulation of specific negative emotions such as anger, sadness, or stress. The instructions and items in the scale refer to negative emotions in general but can be adapted easily to refer to specific negative emotions. For example, Brenning et al. 2020 applied ERI items to negative emotions experienced by parents during interactions with their toddler. The specific items selected from the ERI by Brenning et al. 2020 were: Integrative: 3, 6, 9, 12 / Suppressive: 2, 5, 8, 11 / Dysregulated: 1, 4, 7, 13