ANALYSIS OF THE PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE ERQ QUESTIONNAIRE: A STUDY IN THE ECUADORIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the psychometric properties of the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) in a sample of Ecuadorian adults. The research was conducted using a non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive design, with a sample of 3,671 participants from different cities across the country. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to examine the structure of the instrument and its internal validity.

The results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors consistent with the original theory: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, which explained 61.3% of the total variance. Likewise, the internal consistency analysis yielded high reliability coefficients (α ≥ 0.818) for both the individual factors and the overall scale. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the two-factor structure of the questionnaire, with adequate fit indices (CFI=0.963, TLI=0.952, GFI=0.981, among others), demonstrating the robustness of the model in the Ecuadorian cultural context.

The findings confirm the validity and reliability of the ERQ as an instrument for assessing emotional regulation in adults in Ecuador. This provides a useful tool for both psychological research and clinical application, and allows for a stronger approach to mental health from a contextualised perspective.