The State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS) assesses fluctuating emotion regulation difficulties.
The State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS) is a 21-item self-report measure that assesses momentary, in-the-moment difficulties with emotion regulation. Developed as a state-based alternative to the trait-oriented Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004), the S-DERS captures fluctuating emotion regulation challenges that arise in response to specific situations, interpersonal experiences, or emotional states.
Example S-DERS Item
The S-DERS is grounded in a multidimensional conceptualisation of emotion regulation that views adaptive regulation as the flexible use of strategies to modulate emotional responses whilst maintaining goal-directed behaviour. The S-DERS measures four distinct dimensions of momentary emotion dysregulation:
Respondents rate each item based on how it applies to their emotions “right now” using a 5-point scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (completely). This state-based approach makes the S-DERS particularly valuable for capturing real-time emotional experiences and tracking changes over brief intervals.
In clinical practice, the S-DERS enables the assessment of a client’s moment-to-moment emotion regulation capabilities. Clinicians can administer the S-DERS during sessions to assess immediate responses to therapeutic interventions, evaluate emotional states following exposure exercises or challenging discussions, and identify specific triggers that impair regulation abilities. Regular administration throughout treatment enables tracking of progress in developing emotion regulation skills, helps clients build awareness of their emotional patterns, and informs timely adjustments to therapeutic strategies. The S-DERS is particularly useful in clinical situations where understanding immediate emotional responses is important for effective treatment planning.
The State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS) yields a total score ranging from 21 to 105, with higher scores indicating greater difficulties with emotion regulation in the moment, as well as four subscale scores:
Percentiles are provided based on normative data from a community sample of young adult women (Lavender et al., 2015), contextualising the respondent’s scores relative to the typical scores of those in the community. Higher percentiles indicate greater emotion regulation difficulties relative to the community sample. For instance:
Subscale percentiles help identify specific areas of difficulty, guiding targeted therapeutic intervention strategies.
When interpreting scores, it is recommended to consider the context in which the S-DERS was administered, as scores may vary substantially depending on recent stressors, emotional triggers, or therapeutic activities preceding assessment.
The State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS) was developed and validated by Lavender and colleagues (2015) with a diverse community sample of 484 young adult women aged 18-25 years. Items were systematically adapted from the trait-oriented Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) to capture state rather than trait emotion regulation difficulties.
Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure accounting for 62.3% of total variance. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency for the total score (Cronbach’s alpha = .86) and adequate to excellent reliability for subscales: Nonacceptance (Cronbach’s alpha = .92), Modulate (Cronbach’s alpha = .85), Awareness (Cronbach’s alpha = .79), and Clarity (Cronbach’s alpha = .65).
Normative data from the validation sample:
Construct validity was supported through significant correlations with trait measures of emotion dysregulation, emotional intensity, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness. The S-DERS demonstrated predictive validity for laboratory-assessed emotional reactivity, with associations remaining significant even after controlling for trait emotion regulation. Convergent validity was evidenced by positive associations with substance use problems and negative associations with adaptive emotion regulation strategies.
Importantly, moderate correlations between S-DERS subscales and corresponding DERS subscales (ranging from .44 to .54) support the S-DERS’s distinctiveness as a state-based assessment whilst confirming its theoretical grounding. The scale’s sensitivity to momentary changes makes it particularly valuable for capturing fluctuations in emotion regulation capabilities that trait measures may miss.
Trait emotion regulation difficulties refer to someone’s typical or average patterns of managing emotions over time – their general tendencies. State emotion regulation difficulties, which the S-DERS measures, capture how someone is managing their emotions right now, in this specific moment. This distinction is important because someone might generally have good emotion regulation skills but struggle significantly during particular situations, such as after an interpersonal conflict or during a panic attack. The S-DERS allows clinicians to capture these moment-to-moment fluctuations that trait measures like the original DERS might miss, providing a more dynamic picture of when and how emotion regulation breaks down.
The S-DERS is particularly valuable for tracking emotion regulation difficulties across therapy sessions and during specific interventions. It can be administered before and after exposure exercises, mindfulness practices, or distress tolerance skills training to assess immediate changes in emotion regulation capacity. The brief nature of the measure makes it practical for repeated use – for example, clients might complete it at the beginning of each session to identify current struggles, or during homework exercises to track which situations trigger the most difficulty. The four subscales help pinpoint specific areas for intervention: difficulties with emotional awareness might suggest mindfulness training, while high scores on behavioural modulation might indicate a need for impulse control strategies.
The original DERS is ideal for initial assessment and understanding someone’s general emotion regulation patterns, while the S-DERS captures in-the-moment difficulties. Use the original DERS when you need to understand someone’s baseline or typical functioning – for example, during intake assessments or when developing a case conceptualisation. The S-DERS is better suited for situations requiring repeated measurement, such as daily diary studies, pre/post intervention assessments, or when you want to understand how emotion regulation changes in response to specific triggers. Many clinicians use both measures complementarily: the DERS to establish baseline patterns and the S-DERS to track moment-to-moment changes throughout treatment.
The four S-DERS subscales provide a nuanced picture of current emotion regulation difficulties. The Nonacceptance subscale indicates whether someone is having negative reactions to their emotions right now – feeling guilty, ashamed, or angry about their emotional state. The Modulate subscale reveals current difficulties controlling emotional and behavioural responses, such as feeling overwhelmed or acting impulsively. The Awareness subscale shows whether someone is paying attention to and acknowledging their current emotions, while the Clarity subscale indicates confusion or uncertainty about what they’re feeling. This breakdown helps clinicians understand not just that someone is struggling, but specifically how they’re struggling, allowing for more targeted in-the-moment interventions.
The S-DERS can be a valuable tool for homework and skills generalisation, helping clients recognise emotion regulation difficulties as they arise in daily life. Clients can complete the measure when they notice emotional distress, using it as both an assessment tool and a mindfulness exercise that promotes emotional awareness. The process of completing the S-DERS can itself be therapeutic – it encourages clients to pause and reflect on their current emotional state rather than acting impulsively. Reviewing patterns in S-DERS scores across different situations helps identify specific triggers and contexts where emotion regulation breaks down, informing more personalised coping strategies. This regular monitoring also helps clients recognise improvements that might otherwise go unnoticed, reinforcing their progress and motivation for continued skills practice.
Lavender, J. M., Tull, M. T., DiLillo, D., Messman-Moore, T., & Gratz, K. L. (2015). Development and validation of a state-based measure of emotion dysregulation: The State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS). Assessment, 24(2), 197-209. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191115601218
Gratz, K.L., & Roemer, L. (2004). Multidimensional assessment of emotion regulation and dysregulation: Development, factor structure, and initial validation of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 26, 41-54. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOBA.0000007455.08539.94
Lavender, J. M., Tull, M. T., DiLillo, D., Messman-Moore, T., & Gratz, K. L. (2015). Development and validation of a state-based measure of emotion dysregulation: The State Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (S-DERS). Assessment, 24(2), 197-209. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191115601218
