A Measure of Emotional Regulation and Irritability in Children and Adolescents: The Clinical Evaluation of Emotional Regulation-9.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a scale for emotional regulation using item response theory.

METHOD: Eighteen Swanson Nolan and Pelham (SNAP-IV) items that loaded on an emotional dysregulation factor were submitted to Rasch analysis. After eliminating the items that violated Rasch criteria, the remaining items were examined for reliability and validated against the Conners' emotional lability index.

RESULTS: A nine-item scale for emotional regulation was developed that satisfies the Rasch model and reliably distinguishes emotionally dysregulated/irritable children and adolescents. A score of 4 or higher in this scale has optimal accuracy for identifying children and adolescents with current significant dysfunction in emotional regulation. Among youth with ADHD inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined types, 42%, 56%, and 71% met the Clinical Evaluation of Emotional Regulation-9 (CEER-9) threshold for emotional lability, respectively.

CONCLUSION: A nine-item scale whose sum total is a measure of emotional regulation is proposed as a tool for clinical and research purposes.