The Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression Scale for Youth (FREE-Y): Adaptation and Validation Across a Varied Sample of Children and Adolescents

Ann Christin Haag, Christine B. Cha, Jennie G. Noll, Dylan G. Gee, Chad E. Shenk, Hannah M.C. Schreier, Christine M. Heim, Idan Shalev, Emma J. Rose, Alana Jorgensen, George A. Bonanno

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Flexible self-regulation has been shown to be an adaptive ability. This study adapted and validated the adult Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) Scale for use with youth (FREE-Y) in community and maltreatment samples. The FREE-Y measures the ability to flexibly enhance and suppress emotion expression across an array of hypothetical social scenarios. Participants (N = 654, 8–19 years) were included from three studies. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed a theoretically appropriate higher order factor structure. Using multiple-group CFAs, measurement invariance was achieved across maltreatment status, age, and gender. Reliabilities were adequate and construct validity was demonstrated through associations with measures of emotion regulation, psychopathology, IQ, and executive functioning. Group comparisons indicated lower Suppression and Flexibility scores for maltreated versus comparison participants. Findings suggest that the FREE-Y is a valid measure of expressive regulation ability in youth that can be applied across a range of populations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1265-1284
Number of pages20
JournalAssessment
Volume30
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Applied Psychology

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