Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18) Test

Understand where emotion regulation breaks down in just 4 minutes. Get clear, targeted insights to guide therapy goals and everyday coping strategies.
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Questions184 minutes
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08:30
October 2, 2025
October 2, 2025
Material has been updated
14,315 views
1,067 completions
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Psychologist with 25 years of experience
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How the Scales are Structured

example score
8/15
Goals (G)
Measures how well a person can stay goal-focused and complete tasks when experiencing emotional distress.
Low difficulty
Moderate difficulty
High difficulty
36Low difficulty710Moderate difficulty1115High difficulty
A score of 8 suggests a moderate tendency for intense emotions to interfere with staying focused and following through on goals.
example score
8/15
Clarity (C)
Measures how clearly a person can identify, label, and make sense of their emotional experiences.
Clear awareness
Mixed clarity
Low clarity
37Clear awareness811Mixed clarity1215Low clarity
A score of 8 falls in the Mixed clarity range, suggesting occasional difficulty differentiating and understanding what you are feeling.
example score
11/15
Awareness (A)
Awareness measures how well a person notices and recognizes their own emotions, with higher scores reflecting more difficulty in emotional awareness.
Good awareness
Some difficulty
Marked difficulty
37Good awareness811Some difficulty1215Marked difficulty
A score of 11 suggests some difficulty noticing or recognizing emotions in the moment, which may make it harder to label feelings clearly as they arise.
example score
10/15
Strategies (S)
Assesses how available and effective your coping strategies are for managing negative emotions.
Effective strategies
Mixed strategies
Limited strategies
36Effective strategies710Mixed strategies1115Limited strategies
A score of 10 falls in the Mixed strategies range, suggesting you use some helpful coping methods but may find them inconsistent or not effective enough in harder moments.
example score
10/15
Nonacceptance (N)
Measures the degree to which a person judges, rejects, or struggles to accept their own emotional experiences.
More accepting
Some rejection
High rejection
36More accepting711Some rejection1215High rejection
A score of 10 falls in the 'Some rejection' range, suggesting a noticeable tendency to evaluate emotions negatively and have difficulty accepting them at times.
example score
10/15
Impulse Control Difficulties (ICD)
Measures difficulty controlling impulsive reactions when experiencing intense emotions.
Low difficulty
Moderate difficulty
High difficulty
36Low difficulty711Moderate difficulty1215High difficulty
A score of 10 indicates a moderate level of difficulty, suggesting impulsive actions may sometimes be hard to manage during strong emotional states.
example score
23/90
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation (DiER)
This scale measures overall difficulties with recognizing, accepting, and managing emotions in everyday life.
Low difficulties
Moderate difficulties
High difficulties
1835Low difficulties3662Moderate difficulties6390High difficulties
A score of 23 falls in the Low difficulties range, suggesting generally effective emotion regulation with relatively few reported problems.
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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People in therapy
41%OF USERS
They use it to pinpoint specific emotion-regulation struggles to guide goals and track progress in counseling or psychotherapy.
High stress or burnout
34%OF USERS
They take it when overwhelmed, irritable, or emotionally exhausted to see where emotions start to feel unmanageable day to day.
Impulsivity and mood swings
25%OF USERS
They want clarity on whether strong emotions lead to impulsive actions, avoidance, or difficulty accepting feelings without judgment.
BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.
RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly
Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.
AI-Powered
Interpretation
You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.
Statistical
Comparison
See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.
Practical
Recommendations
You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.
AI-Powered
Insights
Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.
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Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.
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Used in 52+ countries
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See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.
Goals (G)
Average
6.3
Normal range
4.68.1
min.
3
max.
15
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Clarity (C)
Average
6.8
Normal range
4.98.7
min.
3
max.
15
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Awareness (A)
Average
7.9
Normal range
69.8
min.
3
max.
15
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Strategies (S)
Average
10.6
Normal range
912.2
min.
3
max.
15
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Rejection (R)
Average
11.3
Normal range
9.812.7
min.
3
max.
15
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Impulsivity (I)
Average
6.6
Normal range
5.18.1
min.
3
max.
15
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DiERS)
Average
70.9
Normal range
59.782.1
min.
18
max.
90
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?
It measures difficulties related to emotion regulation. It focuses on identifying, accepting, and managing emotions in daily situations.
How long does it take and how many items are included?
It includes 18 items and usually takes about 4 minutes to complete. Most items use the same response format.
What topics do the items cover?
Items address emotional awareness and clarity, acceptance of emotions, impulse control, and access to effective coping strategies. They also cover behaviors used to avoid or reduce emotional discomfort.
How should responses be selected?
Select the option that best describes typical experience, not a single unusual day. Answer all items using the same time frame implied by the instructions.
How are results used?
Scores indicate areas where emotion regulation is most difficult across several domains. Results support clinical formulation, treatment planning, and research comparisons.
WHAT THE TEST MEASURES
About This Assessment
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, DERS-18 Test

Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18) Test - Symptoms and Signs

Emotion regulation is a core psychological skill that varies across individuals and contexts. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18) is a brief self-report measure designed to screen for common problems in identifying, accepting, and managing emotional experiences in daily life.

It consists of 18 items and typically requires about 4 minutes to complete. Items sample multiple facets of dysregulation (e.g., emotional awareness and clarity, nonacceptance, impulse control, and use of regulatory strategies), supporting a focused profile of areas that may warrant clinical attention or further assessment. Authorship/source is listed as psytests.org (2024). The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18) is commonly used in clinical and research settings as a time-efficient indicator of emotion regulation difficulties.

Author: psytests.org (2024)
Literature: Victor, S. E., & Klonsky, E. D. Validation of a brief version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18) in five samples. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment. 2016.; Gratz, K. L., & Roemer, L. 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. 2004.
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