Beyond the Emotion Regulation Strategy Jungle: An Empirically Derived Four-Dimensional Higher-Order Structure and Its Clinical Relevance

Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties are central to psychopathology, yet research has largely focused on numerous individual ER strategies. While several theories of the key components of ER exist, data-driven evidence on the overarching structure of ER remains limited. We examined the hierarchical structure of 19 self-reported ER strategies in a transdiagnostic clinical sample of adults with internalizing disorders (N = 462). We tested established ER models using subscales, followed by item-level exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical confirmatory modeling. Results revealed that established models showed a poor fit. In contrast, exploratory analyses broadly reproduced three meta-analytically (Naragon-Gainey et al., 2017) derived ER dimensions – adaptive engagement, aversive cognitive perseveration, and disengagement – and additionally identified a fourth interpersonal factor. These dimensions showed distinct associations with symptomatology. Our findings support a multidimensional, clinically relevant higher-order organization of ER and may serve as a parsimonious framework for understanding and treating ER difficulties in internalizing disorders.