EMOTION REGULATION AMONG SCHOOL-AGE-CHILDREN - THE DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A NEW CRITERION Q-SORT SCALE

To foster the study of emotion regulation beyond infancy and toddlerho od, a new criterion Q-sort was constructed. In Study 1, Q-scales for e motion regulation and autonomy were developed, and analyses supported their discriminant validity. Study 2 further explored the construct va lidity of the Emotion Regulation Q-Scale within a sample of 143 maltre ated and 80 impoverished children, aged 6 to 12 years. A multitrait-mu ltimethod matrix and confirmatory factor analyses indicated impressive convergence among the Emotion Regulation Q-Scale and established meas ures of affect regulation. This new scale also was discriminable from measures of related constructs, including Q-sort assessments of ego re siliency. The use of this new measure was further supported by its abi lity to distinguish between maltreated and comparison children and bet ween groups of well-regulated versus dysregulated children.