Introduction
The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF) is an 18-item self-report measure of emotion regulation difficulties for adolescents and adults. Erin A. Kaufman, Sheila E. Crowell and colleagues published it in 2016. It keeps the six-factor structure of the original DERS with about half the items, and it has received more than 1,400 citations.
The development study appeared in the Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment and included both adolescent and adult samples. This guide covers the DERS-SF's subscales, scoring, evidence, translations and the other short DERS versions.
Key Features of the DERS-SF
Purpose and Use
The developers built the DERS-SF to assess difficulties in emotion regulation while preserving the six-factor structure and psychometric properties of the full DERS. At the same time, it reduces item redundancy, assessment time and respondent burden, while keeping validity comparable to the full scale.
Target Population
The DERS-SF is intended for people aged 13 and older. Its original validation included both adolescent and college samples.
Structure
The DERS-SF contains 18 items, with three items for each of six subscales:
Strategies: difficulty recovering from being upsetNonacceptance: negative reactions to one's own emotionsImpulse: loss of behavioral control when upsetGoals: difficulty concentrating or completing tasks when upsetAwareness: attention to emotional experiencesClarity: uncertainty or confusion about one's feelingsScoring Method
Respondents rate how often each statement applies to them on a 5-point scale: 1 = almost never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = about half the time, 4 = most of the time, and 5 = almost always.
Scores: six 3-item subscale scores and a total score.Average scores: the development study reported scores as average item scores for each subscale and the total scale.Observed totals: average total scores ranged from 1.00 to 4.67 in adolescents and from 1.00 to 4.59 in college participants.Administration Format
The DERS-SF is a self-report questionnaire, so respondents complete it themselves. With 18 items, it is about half the length of the full DERS.
Applications of the DERS-SF
The DERS-SF suits settings where time and respondent burden matter:
Research: measuring emotion regulation difficulties briefly in adolescent and adult samples.Assessment: profiling difficulties across the same six areas as the full DERS.Future clinical use: its value as a clinical outcome measure is still being established.Languages and availability
Researchers have adapted the DERS-SF in several languages:
French: a French DERS-SF and a super short form (DERS-F SSF)Spanish: a brief version for a Spanish-speaking population (DERS-S SF)Reliability and Validity
The original development study showed strong internal reliability and good factor-analytic fit. Moreover, it corresponded closely with the full DERS across adolescent and college samples.
Validation studies:
The DERS-SF: validation and replication in adolescent and adult samples (2016): study linkValidation of a French version of the DERS-SF and creation of a super short form (2025): study linkValidation of a brief version of the DERS with a Spanish-speaking population (DERS-S SF): study linkLimitations and Considerations
Users should keep these points in mind:
Clinical outcome use: further research is needed to establish its usefulness as a clinical outcome measure.Sensitivity to change: its sensitivity to therapeutic change has not yet been established.No cut-off scores: no cut-off scores are listed for the DERS-SF.Not the same as other short forms: the DERS-SF is the 18-item form by Kaufman and colleagues and should not be confused with the independently developed DERS-18 or DERS-16.Other Versions And Related Questionnaires
The DERS family includes the full scale and several other short forms:
DERS (36 items): the original scale; see the ResRef DERS guide and a French translation studyDERS-16: an Arabic translation studyDERS-18: a Persian version in Iranian adolescentsDERS-8: an Arabic validation in EgyptDERS-20: an Italian short formDERS-5 and DERS-6: a Persian study in an Iranian clinical sampleThe development study also used these related measures:
Youth Self-Report (YSR): applicability and validity across younger and older youthsChild Behavior Checklist (CBCL): the CBCL and related instrumentsState-Trait Anxiety Inventory–Form Y (STAI-Y)Additional Resources
The original article: linkThe DERS-SF on APA PsycNet: linkPsychometric validation and measurement invariance testing in urban Indian adolescents (2024): linkThe DERS-SF in the AIM measures library: linkThe DERS-SF in the El Centro measures library: linkThe publication on ResearchGate: linkFor inquiries, contact the corresponding author, Sheila E. Crowell, Department of Psychology, University of Utah, at sheila.crowell@psych.utah.edu.Browse more psychiatry questionnaires in the ResRef database.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many items does the DERS-SF have?The DERS-SF has 18 items, three for each of six subscales: Strategies, Nonacceptance, Impulse, Goals, Awareness and Clarity. That is about half the length of the 36-item DERS.
How is the DERS-SF scored?Items are rated from 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always). The development study reported average item scores for each subscale and for the total scale.
Who can complete the DERS-SF?The DERS-SF is designed for adolescents and adults aged 13 and older. Its original validation included both adolescent and college samples.
Is the DERS-SF the same as the DERS-18?No. The DERS-SF is the 18-item short form by Kaufman and colleagues, while the DERS-18 and DERS-16 were developed independently and should not be confused with it.
A Word from ResRef About the DERS-SF
The DERS-SF is a concise self-report measure of emotion regulation difficulties designed for adolescents and adults. The original development study demonstrated strong internal reliability, good factor-analytic fit, and close correspondence with the full DERS across adolescent and college samples. The authors note that further research is needed to establish its utility as a clinical outcome measure and sensitivity to therapeutic change.
References
Kaufman, E. A., Xia, M., Fosco, G., Yaptangco, M., Skidmore, C. R., & Crowell, S. E. (2016). The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF): Validation and Replication in Adolescent and Adult Samples. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 38(3), 443–455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-015-9529-3Thuillard, S., Augsburger, N., Batziou, S., Bruni, M., Fatio, L., Martinez, N., Mengin, E., Ruinato, F., Sacchi, L., Salamon, N., Savary, M., Trentini, E., & Dan-Glauser, E. (2025). Validation of a French version of the DERS-SF and creation of a super short form (DERS-F SSF) for measuring emotion regulation difficulties. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-24281-4Nooripour, R., Ghanbari, N., Mozaffari, N., Ghahari, S., & Hosseini, S. R. (2023). The Persian Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18): Psychometric Properties and Its Role in Predicting Aggression in Iranian Adolescents. Psychological Studies, 68(2), 236–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-023-00713-xFekih-Romdhane, F., Kanj, G., Obeid, S., & Hallit, S. (2023). Psychometric properties of an Arabic translation of the brief version of the difficulty in emotion regulation scale (DERS-16). BMC Psychology, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01117-2Eweida, R. S., Gedeon, E., Fekih‐Romdhane, F., Elaleem, A. E. D. M. H. A., Sorour, D. M., & Hallit, S. (2026). Validation of the Arabic Version of the Eight‐Item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale‐8 (DERS‐8) in Egypt. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 35(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.70086Dan-Glauser, E. S., & Scherer, K. R. (2013). The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Swiss Journal of Psychology, 72(1), 5–11. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000093Bhat, N. A., Roopesh, B. N., Bhaskarapillai, B., Chokkanathan, S., & Benegal, V. (2024). Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form (DERS-SF): Psychometric Validation and Measurement Invariance Testing in a Sample of Urban Indian Adolescents. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 47(2), 119–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176241232936Mazaheri, M. (2015). Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale) DERS-6 & DERS-5- Revised (in an Iranian Clinical Sample. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 10(2), 115–22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26884788/