What type of study is this?

This is a Cohort Study study (also classified as: Quantitative Study).

September 28, 2025Open Access

Profiles of beliefs about emotions in treatment‐seeking adults: A person‐centred approach using the emotion beliefs questionnaire

MMMahdi MazidiThe Kids Research Institute Australia JBJack D. BrettThe Kids Research Institute Australia AAAlireza AziziNational University of Skills

Key Points

Identifying six distinct profiles of emotion beliefs, with two highest in maladaptive beliefs linked to increased emotional regulation difficulties.
The study found strong internal consistency and construct validity for the Emotion Beliefs Questionnaire among 385 treatment-seeking adults.
Confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor model that classifies beliefs about emotional controllability and usefulness.
Personalized therapeutic interventions may benefit from understanding the various combinations of emotion belief patterns in clinical samples.

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Maladaptive beliefs about emotions (e.g., believing emotions are uncontrollable or useless) are theorized to contribute to emotion regulation difficulties and psychological distress. Limited research has examined maladaptive emotion beliefs in clinical populations. This study investigated the psychometric properties and latent profiles of the Emotion Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ) in a clinical sample. Methods A total of 385 adults currently receiving psychotherapy participated in the study. The sample included inpatients ( n = 110) from a psychiatric hospital and outpatients ( n = 275) recruited through clinics and online in Iran. They completed the Emotion Beliefs Questionnaire alongside measures of emotion regulation difficulties (Perth Emotion Regulation Competency Inventory) and psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale‐21). Results Confirmatory factor analyses supported a three‐factor model distinguishing beliefs about emotional controllability and the usefulness of positive and negative emotions. The EBQ demonstrated strong internal consistency and convergent and incremental validity. Latent Profile Analysis identified six distinct profiles of emotion beliefs, which were differentially associated with emotion regulation difficulties and psychological distress. Notably, the two profiles characterized by the highest levels of maladaptive emotion beliefs had the highest levels of emotion regulation difficulties and psychological distress. Conclusions These findings underscore the heterogeneity of emotion belief patterns in clinical populations and highlight the importance of assessing belief combinations rather than isolated dimensions, which can help with more personalized therapeutic interventions. This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of emotion beliefs in psychopathology and supports the use of the EBQ as a psychometrically sound tool with clinical samples.

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