Introduction
The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) is a 36-item self-report measure of nine cognitive coping strategies that people tend to use after negative life events. N. Garnefski, V. Kraaij and P. Spinhoven published it in 2001 in Personality and Individual Differences. It has received more than 5,680 citations.
The authors studied the CERQ in relation to symptoms of depression and anxiety among high school students and suggested its relevance for prevention and intervention. This guide explains its nine subscales, scoring, evidence and shorter versions.
Key Features of the CERQ
Purpose and Use
The CERQ measures the cognitive strategies people use to cope after experiencing negative life events. In the original work, the authors examined these strategies in relation to depression and anxiety symptoms.
Target Population
The original study focused on high school students (adolescents).
Structure
The CERQ contains 36 items in nine subscales of four items each, one for each cognitive coping strategy:
Subscale
Items per subscale
Self-blame
4
Acceptance
4
Rumination
4
Positive refocusing
4
Refocus on planning
4
Positive reappraisal
4
Putting into perspective
4
Catastrophizing
4
Blaming others
4
Scoring Method
Respondents rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 ((almost) never) to 5 ((almost) always).
Subscale scores: the sum of each subscale's four items, from 4 to 20.Interpretation: higher scores reflect greater use of that strategy.Alternative: some sources describe subscale scores as the mean of the items instead.Cut-off scores: there are no cut-off scores.Administration Format
The CERQ is a self-report questionnaire, so respondents complete it themselves using the 5-point scale.
Applications of the CERQ
The CERQ supports research and clinical work on coping:
Coping profiles: describing which cognitive strategies a person uses after negative events.Depression and anxiety research: studying how coping strategies relate to emotional problems.Prevention and intervention: informing programs that target specific coping strategies.Reliability and Validity
The original study reported Cronbach's alphas above 0.80 for most subscales. In addition, component analyses supported the subscale structure.
Validation studies:
Negative life events, cognitive emotion regulation and emotional problems (2001): study linkLimitations and Considerations
Keep these points in mind:
Adolescent sample: the original study used high school students, so use caution beyond adolescents.No cut-off scores: scores describe strategy use rather than classify respondents.Scoring method: state whether you use sum or mean subscale scores.Other Versions And Related Questionnaires
Shorter versions of the CERQ exist:
CERQ-short: an 18-item version27-item intermediate versionThese questionnaires are related:
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS); see the ResRef DERS guideEmotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)Negative Mood Regulation Scale (NMR)Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS); see the ResRef PANAS guideAdditional Resources
The original article in the Leiden University repository: linkFor inquiries, contact N. Garnefski, Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Leiden, PO Box 9555, 2300 Leiden, The Netherlands, at garnefski@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.Browse more psychology questionnaires in the ResRef database.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does the CERQ measure?The CERQ measures nine cognitive coping strategies used after negative life events: self-blame, acceptance, rumination, positive refocusing, refocus on planning, positive reappraisal, putting into perspective, catastrophizing and blaming others.
How is the CERQ scored?Items are rated from 1 ((almost) never) to 5 ((almost) always). Each subscale sums four items for a score from 4 to 20, and higher scores mean greater use of that strategy.
Does the CERQ have cut-off scores?No. The CERQ has no cut-off scores, so it describes how much a person uses each strategy rather than classifying them.
Is there a short version of the CERQ?Yes. An 18-item CERQ-short and a 27-item intermediate version exist alongside the original 36-item questionnaire.
A Word from ResRef About the CERQ
The CERQ is a patient-reported tool for assessing cognitive coping strategies after negative life events, studied mainly in high school youngsters in relation to depression and anxiety. The original study reported alphas above 0.80 for most subscales and component analyses supporting the subscale structure. Use caution when applying the tool beyond the adolescent sample.
References
Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V., & Spinhoven, P. (2001). Negative life events, cognitive emotion regulation and emotional problems. Personality and Individual Differences, 30(8), 1311–1327. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0191-8869(00)00113-6