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Emotion Regulation in Adult Education Students: Diversifying Our Understanding of Emotion Regulation Measurement, Conceptualization, and Application

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Title: Emotion Regulation in Adult Education Students: Diversifying Our Understanding of Emotion Regulation Measurement, Conceptualization, and Application
Language: English
Authors: Shannon W. Schrader (ORCID 0000-0002-3173-6964), Brittany D. Miller-Roenigk, Maria Crouch, Sydney C. Simmons, Frances J. Griffith, Derrick M. Gordon
Source: New Horizons in Adult Education & Human Resource Development. 2025 37(3):180-190.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (DHHS/NIH)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DHHS/PHS)
Contract Number: F32AA029627
L30AA030412
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Basic Education
Adult Education
Elementary Education
Descriptors: Adult Students, Emotional Response, Self Control, Measures (Individuals), Adult Basic Education, Student Attitudes, Urban Areas
DOI: 10.1177/19394225251356884
ISSN: 1939-4225
Abstract: Educational attainment is associated with good health and well-being in a variety of domains. Some students seeking to further their education are adult learners who present to adult basic education (ABE) centers. One factor that may be important for ABE students' success is emotion regulation--the ability to regulate or modify one's emotional arousal in a goal-consistent manner. Unfortunately, the most widely used measure of emotion regulation (the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) was normed upon a homogenous sample of college students who were primarily White. Research has been slow to thoroughly examine emotion regulation abilities in diverse populations such as ABE students, who represent diversity in a number of ways (race, ethnicity, age, roles, responsibilities, stressors, employment). This study examined how emotion regulation presented in a diverse sample of ABE students (N = 237). As anticipated, emotion regulation manifested differently in this sample than the sample the DERS was originally normed upon. These findings underscore the need for interventions maximizing emotion regulation skills that are sensitive to culture, context, environment, and individual to effectively promote quality education practices.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1479846
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0187236956;[1cyh]01sep.25;2025Aug12.02:40;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0187236956-1">Emotion Regulation in Adult Education Students: Diversifying Our Understanding of Emotion Regulation Measurement, Conceptualization, and Application </title> <p>Educational attainment is associated with good health and well-being in a variety of domains. Some students seeking to further their education are adult learners who present to adult basic education (ABE) centers. One factor that may be important for ABE students' success is emotion regulation—the ability to regulate or modify one's emotional arousal in a goal-consistent manner. Unfortunately, the most widely used measure of emotion regulation (the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) was normed upon a homogenous sample of college students who were primarily White. Research has been slow to thoroughly examine emotion regulation abilities in diverse populations such as ABE students, who represent diversity in a number of ways (race, ethnicity, age, roles, responsibilities, stressors, employment). This study examined how emotion regulation presented in a diverse sample of ABE students (N = 237). As anticipated, emotion regulation manifested differently in this sample than the sample the DERS was originally normed upon. These findings underscore the need for interventions maximizing emotion regulation skills that are sensitive to culture, context, environment, and individual to effectively promote quality education practices.</p> <p>Keywords: adult education; adult learners; emotion regulation; measurement; diversity</p> <p>Educational attainment is associated with a wide range of positive outcomes spanning domains of good health and well-being including employment ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref1">32</reflink>]), financial stability ([<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref2">34</reflink>]), and physical health status ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref3">11</reflink>]). Some of the students seeking to further their education are adult learners who present to adult basic education (ABE) centers. Many ABE students have multiple personal and social challenges (i.e., low literacy levels, chronic unemployment, poverty, trauma) that may have been associated with their exit from K-12 education ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref4">2</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref5">36</reflink>]). Several factors have been implicated in ABE students' turnover, attrition, and dropout, including sociocultural and contextual factors (i.e., high incidence of exposure to trauma and interpersonal violence, residential instability, low socioeconomic status; [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref6">19</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref7">31</reflink>]).</p> <p>One factor that has received limited attention in examining ABE students' educational persistence is the ability to regulate emotional responses to stressful contexts or situations ([<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref8">35</reflink>]). Effective emotion regulation—defined as the ability to regulate or modify one's emotional arousal in a way that is goal-consistent—may be particularly important in the ABE setting. The importance of emotion dysregulation may rest on its potential role as one of the factors that precipitated ABE students' exits from K-12 educational settings ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref9">28</reflink>]). Unfortunately, emotion regulation abilities have been chronically understudied in diverse samples, such as learners in ABE centers.</p> <p>It is imperative to consider how the emotion regulation capabilities of ABE students may either support or undermine their ability to successfully function in this setting. Research is needed to provide guidance on how to effectively examine and address the emotion regulation skills of ABE students. One strategy to facilitate this outcome is the identification of appropriate measures of emotion regulation for diverse samples such as ABE students and—with appropriate assessment tools—use the data to inform possible interventions that may bolster ABE students' emotion regulation capacity. These observations may also identify other unique facets of emotion regulation that may be context-dependent.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-2">Defining Emotion Regulation</hd> <p>Emotion regulation is defined as the ability to "inhibit, enhance, maintain, and modulate emotional arousal to accomplish one's goals" ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref10">8</reflink>], p. 642). Emotion regulation is implicated in emotional expression across contexts and can include the specific emotions that we experience, when we experience them, how we experience them, and how we express or behave in response to these emotions ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref11">14</reflink>]).</p> <p>One theory guiding emotion regulation has been well-articulated in decades of work conducted by [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref12">14</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref13">15</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref14">16</reflink>]). Their theory posits that emotion regulation can either increase, decrease, or sustain the experience of emotions that are either positive or negative, and such regulation is usually consistent with one's goals or desires ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref15">14</reflink>]). In their conceptualization, to accomplish this goal, five different categories of strategies may be employed: situation selection, situation modification, attention deployment, cognitive change, and response modulation ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref16">14</reflink>]). Conceptually, these strategies are defined as either antecedent-focused (prior to the emotional response) or response-focused (subsequent to the emotional response; [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref17">14</reflink>]).</p> <p>Emotion regulation strategies are often employed by an individual to help them manage emotions and reactions to those emotions ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref18">7</reflink>]). One's emotional reactions can create additional barriers that inhibit the individual from successfully achieving their short- and long-term goals ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref19">9</reflink>]). When these reactions generate barriers to meeting desired goals, it is important that strategies be deployed to maximize the potential for positive outcomes. In this context, emotion regulation strategies may be most effective when tailored to the emotion, environment, and individual ([<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref20">1</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref21">15</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-3">The Need to Assess Emotion Regulation in Diverse Samples</hd> <p>Emotion regulation skills are also associated with positive academic outcomes ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref22">17</reflink>]). Unfortunately, these links have been mainly researched with school-aged children or university students and with samples that are primarily White. Non-traditional adult learners, such as those attending ABE centers, represent nearly 40% of post-secondary learners ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref23">26</reflink>]). ABE students represent a unique population in terms of race, ethnicity, age, roles, responsibilities, and stressors. Characteristics of these learners include facets of adult responsibilities such as managing employment, having dependents (i.e., children), and navigating diverse educational trajectories (i.e., delayed enrollment in higher education; [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref24">18</reflink>]). Despite ABE students being a diverse and unique population, worthy of specifically examining, they are generally not represented in the extant emotion regulation literature.</p> <p>Several theoretical frameworks on emotions and learning support the importance of examining emotion regulation in ABE students. The theory of constructed emotion posits that emotions are not universal but are shaped by individual experiences, culture, and context ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref25">4</reflink>]). Similarly, emotion theory developed by [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref26">23</reflink>] views emotions as dynamic phenomena that are shaped by culture in terms of expression, understanding, and perceived value. Drawing upon these theories, the unique experiences of adult learners—which span marginalization, diverse educational trajectories, and cultural diversity—shape the way emotions are organized, interpreted, and expressed.</p> <p>[<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref27">10</reflink>] critical pedagogy is another lens in which the current study can be viewed. [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref28">10</reflink>] work is an educational philosophy that emphasizes liberation through learning. A core concept is that education is a tool for social justice, empowerment, and the transformation of oppressive structures. One key principle is challenging the notion of a "banking model" of education where teachers deposit knowledge into passive student recipients. Instead, Freire championed a dialogical model, where learning is a two-way collaborative process between teacher and learner. Wide application of the DERS, which was normed on a homogenous and privileged population, applies this same banking model within psychological assessment, as it assumes emotion regulation experiences are universal and learners should simply respond to the prompts. [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref29">10</reflink>] also views education and learning as a process that does not occur in a vacuum but rather is mediated by the world. A diverse sample, such as ABE students, may not structure their emotional experiences in the same way as the White college student sample the DERS was normed on because the experience of the oppressed generates distinct ways of feeling, interpreting, and existing emotionally in the world ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref30">10</reflink>]).</p> <p>Drawing upon these theoretical frameworks, measures that do not engage with the cultural and experiential diversity of adult learners risk reproducing exclusion, pathologizing difference, and introducing bias. It remains to be examined whether the DERS is one such instrument. The ways in which emotion regulation skills are assessed or measured may look different for ABE students, much like there is cross-cultural variation in emotion regulation ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref31">29</reflink>]). If we want to identify how emotion regulation operates and develop systematic strategies that support educational success in the ABE setting, it is imperative that we understand if our current conceptualization and measurement of emotion regulation skills is aligned for ABE students enrolled in urban educational settings.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-4">Measuring Emotion Regulation Abilities</hd> <p>One widely used measure of emotion regulation is the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref32">13</reflink>]). The DERS was developed to measure emotion regulation challenges in adult populations and was normed on a sample of 479 undergraduate psychology students. The DERS conceptualizes emotion regulation strategies as consisting of several dimensions including modulating emotional arousal; the awareness, understanding, and acceptance of emotions; and the ability to act in desired ways regardless of one's current emotional state ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref33">13</reflink>]). In its development, an analysis of its factor structure and psychometric properties uncovered six factors: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref34">1</reflink>) nonacceptance of emotional responses, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref35">2</reflink>) difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior, (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref36">3</reflink>) impulse control difficulties, (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref37">4</reflink>) lack of emotional awareness, (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref38">5</reflink>) limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and (<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref39">6</reflink>) lack of emotional clarity. There is a need to explore if the factors identified in the initial factor analysis conducted by [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref40">13</reflink>] align with more diverse samples, such as students enrolled in an ABE center.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-5">Method</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0187236956-6">The Research Context</hd> <p>This study utilized a convenience sample of students from an ABE center in an urban setting in a Northeastern United States city. The ABE center serves over 1,600 students each year. Five distinct ABE programs are offered by the center including: High School Credit Diploma Program (CDP), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), General Education Development (GED), National External Diploma Program (NEDP), and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The survey research in the current study was supported by leadership of the ABE center and approved by a university Institutional Review Board (IRB).</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-7">The Urban Education Setting</hd> <p>This research was conducted in a small-sized, urban setting, according to OECD. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county the ABE center is located has a population of over 100,000, diverse demographics (41.9% White, 29.9% Black, 9.0% Multiracial, 5.1% Asian), many foreign-born persons (17.5%), and high levels of poverty (25.3%). This is also evidenced by the county's score on the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), which measures factors such as poverty, lack of access to transportation, and crowded housing conditions. The SVI can range from 0 (lowest level of vulnerability) to 1 (highest level of vulnerability). The SVI score for the city in which this research was conducted is 1.0, which equates to the highest level of vulnerability. According to [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref41">6</reflink>] statistics, there are stark differences between the city and county in which the city is located when considering poverty rates (26% vs 12%), housing cost burden rate (53% vs 40%), and wellbeing scores (389 vs 900+). Overall, the setting of this study represents the recently proposed definitions of "urban education" including location in a large city, diversity, inequality, and problems with adequate resources ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref42">24</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref43">37</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-8">Participants</hd> <p>A convenience sample of 237 students from an urban ABE center consented to participate in the study out of 275 who expressed interest. Students completed the survey in English (61.8%), Spanish (35.3%), or French (2.9%). The sample ranged in age from 17 to 81 years old (<emph>M</emph> = 34.67) and was primarily female (64.0%). The sample was diverse in terms of race: African American/Black (22.6%), Caucasian/White (11.1%), and Other/Multiracial (57.1%). Over half (53.4%) of the sample identified as Latinx.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-9">Procedure</hd> <p>To recruit participants across ABE programs, presentations were made to ABE center leadership, educators, and staff. Students were informed about the survey by educators and were given designated class time to complete it. In case mental health needs arose during or after the survey, a study staff member and licensed clinical psychologist was available. Participants completed the survey online using the university's Qualtrics survey tool. The survey was written at a 6<sups>th</sups> grade reading level and was provided in English, Spanish, and French due to the prevalence of these languages at the ABE center. The Spanish and French versions of the survey were created by using the translation function in the Qualtrics platform. As such, they were not specifically culturally adapted (i.e., to include culturally-specific language or to remove words and phrases that do not directly translate from English).</p> <p>To be eligible for the study, participants needed to be age 17 or older, fluent in English, Spanish, or French, and currently enrolled in one of the five ABE programs. Participants had opportunities to ask questions during an informed consent process. Once consent was obtained, participants completed the survey assessing multiple domains including demographics, emotion regulation, substance use, trauma, the adult education setting, gender roles, mental health, and COVID-19.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-10">Measures</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0187236956-11">Demographics</hd> <p>Demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, language, education, employment) were assessed via participant self-report.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-12">The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS)</hd> <p>The DERS is a 36-item self-report measure that assesses emotion regulation deficits ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref44">13</reflink>]). Possible responses range from (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref45">1</reflink>) "almost always" to (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref46">5</reflink>) "almost never." Scores are typically presented as a total score or score for each of the subscales. Higher scores represent more difficulties regulating emotions successfully. Example items include "I pay attention to how I feel" and "When I'm upset, I believe that my feelings are valid and important." The DERS has been demonstrated to be both reliable and valid in multiple samples, with high internal consistency (α =.93) and correlation with the General Expectancy for Negative Mood Relation Scale (<emph>r</emph> = −.69, <emph>p</emph> <.01; [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref47">13</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-13">Results</hd> <p>Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 28. Following cleaning and coding, univariate analyses (i.e., descriptives) were conducted. Next, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to examine the factor structure of the DERS. To parallel analyses conducted in the seminal DERS development paper ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref48">13</reflink>]), common factor analysis employing principal axis factoring extraction and promax oblique rotation was used. Criterion of eigenvalues greater than 1.00 and scree test plots were used, which both suggested retaining a six-factor solution.</p> <p>When examining specific items, factor loadings of.40 and higher were considered meaningful. All items achieved a factor loading of at least.40. For items loading on two or more distinct factors, the highest factor loading was retained. The sixth factor was composed of only one item ("When I am upset, I believe that I will remain that way for a long time"). Because having a factor composed of only one item is not viable, we ran a five-factor solution. This item was retained on the next highest loading factor (Factor 1) in the final model. See Table 1 for information on final factor loadings. The five-factor solution accounted for 72.84% of the cumulative variance. See Table 2 for details on eigenvalues and variance explained by the factors.</p> <p>Table 1. Factor Loadings for the DERS Items Included in Final Factor Analysis.</p> <p>Graph</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><colgroup><col align="left" /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="center">Item</th><th align="center">1</th><th align="center">2</th><th align="center">3</th><th align="center">4</th><th align="center">5</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>When I'm upset, I become angry with myself for feeling that way</td><td>.49</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I become embarrassed for feeling that way</td><td>.75</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I believe that I will end up feeling very depressed</td><td>.66</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I have difficulty focusing on other things</td><td>.65</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I feel ashamed at myself for feeling that way</td><td>.72</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I feel like I am weak</td><td>.71</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I feel guilty for feeling that way</td><td>.73</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I have difficulty concentrating</td><td>.85</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I have difficulty controlling my behaviors</td><td>.54</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I believe there is nothing I can do to make myself feel better</td><td>.78</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I become irritated at myself for feeling that way</td><td>.84</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I start to feel very bad about myself</td><td>.90</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I believe that wallowing in it is all I can do</td><td>.74</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I lose control over my behavior</td><td>.61</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I have difficulty thinking about anything else</td><td>.85</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I take time to figure out what I am really feeling</td><td>.61</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, it takes me a long time to feel better</td><td>.78</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, my emotions feel overwhelming</td><td>.70</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I believe that I will remain that way for a long time</td><td>.44</td><td /><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I am upset, I acknowledge my emotions</td><td /><td>.60</td><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I believe that my feelings are valid and important</td><td /><td>.80</td><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I can still get things done</td><td /><td>.93</td><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I know that I can find a way to eventually feel better</td><td /><td>.79</td><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I feel like I can remain in control of my behaviors</td><td /><td>.76</td><td /><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>I experience my emotions as overwhelming and out of control</td><td /><td /><td>.69</td><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>I have no idea how I am feeling</td><td /><td /><td>.78</td><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>I have difficulty making sense out of my feelings</td><td /><td /><td>.81</td><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>I am confused about how I feel</td><td /><td /><td>.82</td><td /><td /></tr><tr><td>I am clear about my feelings</td><td /><td /><td /><td>.76</td><td /></tr><tr><td>I pay attention to how I feel</td><td /><td /><td /><td>.62</td><td /></tr><tr><td>I am attentive to my feelings</td><td /><td /><td /><td>.73</td><td /></tr><tr><td>I know exactly how I am feeling</td><td /><td /><td /><td>.67</td><td /></tr><tr><td>I care about how I am feeling</td><td /><td /><td /><td>.70</td><td /></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I have difficulty getting work done</td><td /><td /><td /><td /><td>.56</td></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I become out of control</td><td /><td /><td /><td /><td>.62</td></tr><tr><td>When I'm upset, I feel out of control</td><td /><td /><td /><td /><td>.78</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Table 2. Eigenvalues and Variance Explained by the Factors in Final Factor Analysis.</p> <p>Graph</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><colgroup><col align="left" /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="left" rowspan="2">Factor</th><th align="center" colspan="2">Initial eigenvalues</th><th align="center" colspan="2">Extraction sums of squared loadings</th><th align="center">Rotation sums of squared loadings</th></tr><tr><th align="center">Total</th><th align="center">% Variance</th><th align="center">Total</th><th align="center">% Variance</th><th align="center">Total</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>14.040</td><td>39.000</td><td>13.781</td><td>38.282</td><td>10.780</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>6.095</td><td>16.930</td><td>5.798</td><td>16.105</td><td>4.296</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>2.698</td><td>7.496</td><td>2.396</td><td>6.655</td><td>3.617</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>1.908</td><td>5.301</td><td>1.657</td><td>4.603</td><td>3.325</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>1.481</td><td>4.115</td><td>1.228</td><td>3.412</td><td>2.723</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0187236956-14">Discussion</hd> <p>The current study was guided by theories on emotions ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref49">4</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref50">23</reflink>]), emotion regulation ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref51">14</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref52">15</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref53">16</reflink>]) and learning (Freire, 1970). The major aim of this study was to explore the factor structure of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref54">13</reflink>]) in a sample of diverse learners in an urban ABE center. Prior research has primarily examined emotion regulation in homogenous samples composed of college students, most of whom are White. Emotion regulation may present differently across populations, making it important to explore if the observations made from the original sample the DERS measure was normed upon align with other groups.</p> <p>As anticipated, the results of the current study support the notion that emotion regulation presents differently in ABE students compared to the factor structure in college students from the original factor analysis. While the current study recovered six distinct factors, like the original DERS paper, only one item loaded on the sixth factor. Following statistical recommendations on factor analysis that suggest that each factor should consist of at least three items, we re-ran the model as a five-factor model. Our five-factor solution accounted for 72.84% of the cumulative variance compared to the original DERS measurement paper where a five-factor solution accounted for 59.48% of the variance while the final six-factor solution explained 62.62% of the total variance.</p> <p>This finding may be—in part—explained by theory on emotions. The theory of constructed emotion ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref55">4</reflink>]) challenges traditional views that emotions are hardwired and universal. Instead, she argues that emotions are not biologically-fixed responses but are based on experiences, language, cultural, and context. As such, emotions are not simply reactions but are interpretations that are flexible, learned, and culturally-shaped ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref56">4</reflink>]). [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref57">23</reflink>] views emotions similarly; that emotions are dynamic phenomena that are deeply shaped by culture in terms of expression, understanding, and value. The unique lived experiences of adult learners—which are marked by marginalization, multilingualism, and diverse educational trajectories—shape the way emotions are organized, interpreted, and expressed in a way that differs from the White college student sample on which the DERS was normed.</p> <p>In addition to the difference in the number of factors extracted and variance explained, the individual items loaded on to different factors than in the current study when compared to the original DERS development paper. This divergence points to how emotion regulation, while conceptually relevant, may operate differently for specific populations and cautions us to consider how we interpret observations made when used. In our analyses we labeled our five factors as: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref58">1</reflink>) ineffective reactions when upset; (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref59">2</reflink>) effective reactions when upset; (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref60">3</reflink>) difficulty managing and labeling emotions; (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref61">4</reflink>) understanding of an affective state; and (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref62">5</reflink>) lack of internal control. Each will be described in more detail in the following sections.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-15">Factor 1: Ineffective Reactions When Upset</hd> <p>The first factor is composed of 19 items (α =.94) and reflect ineffective reactions to feeling strong or intense emotions. These items all begin with the root "When I'm upset, I..." followed by a reaction that may be considered negative and/or ineffective for helping to regulate, so we termed this factor <emph>Ineffective Reactions When Upset</emph>. For instance, items on this factor include "When I'm upset, I become angry with myself for feeling that way," "When I'm upset, I have difficulty focusing on other things," and "When I'm upset, I feel like I am weak."</p> <p>In the original DERS, the items beginning with the root "When I'm upset, I..." loaded across different factors (i.e., Nonacceptance, Goals, Impulse) according to the behaviors or reactions that follow the root phrase. The factor loadings observed in our analyses may be that items are grouped according to the root rather than to the specific behaviors/reactions themselves.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-16">Factor 2: Effective Reactions When Upset</hd> <p>Much like the previous factor, the second factor is composed of five items (α =.91) that begin with the root "When I'm upset, I...." However, the reactions that follow the root of this second factor differ in that they are examples of effective strategies of managing strong emotions, so this factor was named <emph>Effective Reactions When Upset</emph>. For example, among the five items that loaded on this second factor are, "When I'm upset, I acknowledge my emotions" and "When I'm upset, I can still get things done."</p> <p>Again, these items in the original factor solution loaded across several different factors (i.e., Awareness, Goals, Strategies). Like the first factor, the factor loadings we observed may be that items are grouped according to a combination of the root and the subsequent reaction rather than to the specific outcomes themselves.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-17">Factor 3: Difficulty Managing and Labeling Emotions</hd> <p>The third factor, titled <emph>Difficulty Managing and Labeling Emotions</emph>, includes four items (α =.87) that reflect difficulties in appropriately labeling and managing strong emotions. Items that loaded onto this factor include, "I have no idea how I am feeling" and "I am confused about how I feel." Of note, these items also appear to reflect the other end of the spectrum (or the negative valence) of the next factor—understanding of an affective state. A majority of these items loaded onto the Clarity subscale in the original DERS paper.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-18">Factor 4: Understanding of an Affective State</hd> <p>The fourth factor is composed of five items (α =.90) that reflect an individual's ability to understand their own affective state including emotions and emotional responses, and was, therefore, called <emph>Understanding of an Affective State</emph>. Items that loaded onto this factor include "I pay attention to how I feel" and "I know exactly how I am feeling." These items loaded onto the Awareness and Clarity subscales in the original DERS paper. We believe that our loadings reflect a more global ability to understand an affective state, which would include both having an awareness of emotions and clarity around what emotions one is experiencing.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-19">Factor 5: Lack of Internal Control</hd> <p>The fifth factor, termed <emph>Lack of Internal Control</emph>, is composed of three items (α =.79) and appear to reflect the degree to which an individual believes they are out of control of their emotions, behaviors, and reactions. These items include, "When I'm upset, I become out of control" and "When I'm upset, I feel out of control." Two of these three items were categorized as reflecting impulse control in the original DERS paper.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-20">Emotion Regulation in a Unique Population of Urban Adult Education Learners</hd> <p>This study was guided by theories encompassing emotions ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref63">4</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref64">23</reflink>]), emotion regulation ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref65">14</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref66">15</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref67">16</reflink>]) and learning ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref68">10</reflink>]). Given that prior research has typically examined emotion regulation in homogenous samples, we sought to ascertain whether the facets of emotion regulation differ in a more diverse sample. Our study was composed of ABE students, who represent diversity in several ways including race, ethnicity, age, employment status, stressors, roles, experiences, and educational trajectories. To effectively provide supports and interventions for ABE students, it is necessary to understand how emotion regulation presents in this diverse and unique population.</p> <p>When examining emotion regulation with the diverse and marginalized identities represented in this sample, we observed differences in the factor structure of emotion regulation. This finding is in line with cross-cultural variation in emotion regulation itself ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref69">29</reflink>]). These differences may be explained by the unique experiences and challenges experienced by ABE learners—including navigating the competing demands of work, school, geography, and family, amongst others ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref70">21</reflink>]). Such unique challenges may result in differing strengths and deficits in emotion regulation abilities, successes, and failures. This consideration, of course, does not negate the experiences of other groups, but rather notes that they are <emph>different.</emph> Environmental stressors prevalent among ABE learners, such as geographic density, incidence/exposure to trauma, lower socioeconomic status, and residential instability, could potentially explain the different presentation of emotion regulation in this population ([<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref71">12</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref72">27</reflink>]).</p> <p>From [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref73">10</reflink>] perspective, the finding that the dimensions of emotion regulation manifest differently in ABE students can be understood because emotion and learning does not occur individually but in communion with the world. Adult learners do not structure their emotional experiences in the same way as the White college student sample used to norm the original DERS. These results support the idea that the experience of oppressed individuals generates distinct ways of feeling, interpreting, and acting upon emotions, thereby epistemologically legitimizing the lived realities of marginalized learners. Further, this finding suggests that a universal model of emotion regulation cannot be imposed without taking into account these adult learners' traumas, culture, language, and position within the social structure. Results reinforce the necessity of culturally responsive educational practices, including those in relation to emotional and psychological development.</p> <p>Consistent with [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref74">10</reflink>] challenge to a "banking model" of education, wide application of the DERS applies this same banking model to psychological assessment, as it assumes emotion regulation experiences are universal and learners should simply respond to the prompts. Our finding that the original factor structure of the DERS does not apply to this diverse sample challenges the banking model and supports a dialogical approach to emotion regulation measurement (i.e., constructing measures from within the learners' lived experience rather than in conflict with their reality). Freire (1970) also contends that education is an inherently political act. As such, even technical instruments like the DERS are necessarily infused with values, assumptions, and potential biases. If these tools are widely applied without engaging with the cultural and experiential diversity of learners, they run the risk of not fully and accurately capturing the construct they intend to measure.</p> <p>The conceptualization of emotions may be different in a college sample versus a diverse sample of adult learners in an alternative educational setting like ours due to various factors including unique experiences, exposure to different cultural perspectives, and conflict resolution skills that have been learned. It is especially important for conceptualizations of emotion regulation to be broad because although a conceptualization may be valid, it could still operate differently for different people and contexts. From a skills-building perspective, more nuanced and individualized language around emotions and emotion regulation could be helpful in making these skills more accessible and relevant to a larger group of individuals. In this approach, affirming the utility of their approach to managing emotions while building response patterns and selectively deploying them based on contextual factors will be important to balance.</p> <p>There are other differences between ABE students and those with which this measure was normed. Individuals with college educations—such as those the DERS was normed on—may have different and or better language skills by way of their higher education status, when compared to ABE students. Building emotion regulation skills may help to increase their ability to identify and label different emotions and thereby promote their emotion regulation abilities ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref75">5</reflink>]). For instance, anger exists but there are different levels of anger, which signal different things and have different names. The ability to differentiate based on intensity and form allows one to transform a "black and white" feeling of anger into a more nuanced experience (i.e., recognizing you can be annoyed but not irate, each of which would call for different reactions; [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref76">30</reflink>]). Differentiating the shifting contextual demands to emotional stimuli may help ABE students from urban settings "code shift" and in doing so, more easily navigate these settings. In this vein, DBT emotion regulation skills ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref77">22</reflink>]) teaching one how to recognize, label, and describe distinct, yet related, emotions could be especially important for ABE students. Consistent with emergent literature on emotion regulation in college students, more developed emotion regulation skills among adult learners may be associated with increased resilience and well-being and reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref78">3</reflink>]). It would then suggest that we may need to assist ABE students in building skills that are context dependent and adaptable to environmental expectations. Discerning when to apply these new skills and in what setting will be as important as translating their biological reactions to the stimuli received.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-21">Implications</hd> <p>This study observed that emotion regulation presents differently in a diverse sample of ABE students compared to the White college student sample the DERS was normed upon. There are important clinical and programmatic implications of this study. Given that emotion regulation presents differently in ABE learners, emotion regulation strategies that are sensitive to these nuances should be considered. Differing factor structures for emotion regulation suggest different experiences and perceptions, which require different solutions. Efforts have been made to understand differences in coping styles between traditional and non-traditional students (i.e., [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref79">25</reflink>]). Exporting such understanding to coping with and regulating difficult emotions in ABE students was a logical next step in the field.</p> <p>The inclusion of marginalized learners also deepens and broadens the understanding of how emotions function in teaching by revealing how culture, identity, and social context shape emotional experiences and responses in educational settings. Students from marginalized backgrounds often experience stereotype threat, microaggressions, or lack of representation, which can elicit negative emotional states that interfere with learning ([<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref80">33</reflink>]). Including diverse voices can allow us to create emotionally safe and culturally responsive classrooms. Implications exist for intervention as well. For example, including diverse populations promotes more inclusive pedagogy where educators can develop teaching strategies that honor a wider range of emotional expressions and values (i.e., community-based learning, storytelling), which better represent different learning styles ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref81">20</reflink>]). Including diverse populations helps ensure that educational psychology reflects the real, complex, and varied emotional lives of all students, not just those from dominant cultural or socioeconomic groups.</p> <p>Challenges unique to urban ABE centers should be considered when designing such interventions. For clinicians, the provision of interventions to maximize emotion regulation should include an understanding of the relationship between stressors, the contextual factors that motivate them, and how culturally competent tailored strategies may support ABE students and their unique challenges and barriers encountered. With these considerations, emotion regulation strategies and interventions (e.g., ABE centers teaching socioemotional learning skills to bolster emotion regulation, enhancing assessment of emotion regulation to inform learning plans, and providing targeted support) may exhibit better outcomes.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-22">Limitations and Future Directions</hd> <p>Several limitations were present in the current study that are worth considering in as we interpret and inform future research or interventions. One limitation is the DERS is a trait level assessment of emotion regulation difficulties. Emotion regulation may be easier or more difficult depending on environmental contexts (i.e., how emotionally dysregulated an individual felt prior to an activating event [state]). Such differences are not necessarily captured by trait level measures that assess constructs <emph>on average</emph> such as the DERS. A better understanding of fluctuations and factors that impact urban ABE students' ability to regulate their emotions can help the development of more tailored interventions. Future research may consider measuring ABE students' emotion regulation failures and successes on a moment-to-moment basis (i.e., via ecological momentary assessment) to obtain a more nuanced understanding of their respective strengths and weaknesses when regulating emotions.</p> <p>Another limitation of the current study is its sample size. Emotion regulation data on the full (<emph>N</emph> = 275) sample was not available due to missing data and cases because participants could skip questions. Nevertheless, we were able to use most of the study subject responses (<emph>N</emph> = 237). Future research should conduct parallel analyses with a larger sample size and across varying ABE contexts (i.e., urban, suburban, rural) to examine replicability of the emotion regulation factors observed. In addition, small numbers of students in specific classes (e.g., ESOL, TOEFL) precluded us from conducting analyses to examine emotion regulation between students in different degree programs within this setting. It may be that emotion regulation presents differently not only for ABE students in general, but across the programs offered at ABE centers (i.e., High School Credit Diploma Program; ESOL; GED; NEDP; TOEFL). Continuing to build upon the current study may include beginning to dissect how emotion regulation presents across each degree program and setting.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-23">Positionality</hd> <p>This research team was composed of six members including two predoctoral psychology fellows, three postdoctoral psychology fellows, and one faculty member. Team members identified as male and female in gender; they identified as Black/African American, White/European American, and American Indian/Alaska Native in race. All members of the research team had experience working within the adult basic education setting as consultants, evaluators, researchers, and/or clinicians. Members of the research team also had experiences assessing and helping clients maximize their emotion regulation abilities in direct clinical care settings. These experiences—both professional and personal—combined with ongoing group discussion allowed members of the research team to explore how their own identities, unique experiences, and personal perspectives could have affected the paper including the language utilized, conclusions drawn, and framing of the constructs and concepts. However, some limitations remain. One example is that no members of the research team are fluent in French, which is one of the languages the survey was translated into and administered to, representing 2.9% of the sample. As such, the French version of the survey was not validated or adjusted based on knowledge of the French language or culture. In addition, there is diversity within French culture, traditions, and dialect. That is, what is considered "typical" French culture in one region may not be true for another. Relying solely on direction translation could have introduced potential bias into the results obtained. To reduce such bias, future surveys should be developed in conjunction with individuals who can directly translate and provide consultation around item wording.</p> <hd id="AN0187236956-24">Conclusions</hd> <p>This study expands upon existing literature, which has primarily examined emotion regulation in White college student samples, by providing a first effort at understanding how emotion regulation difficulties present in a diverse sample of students enrolled in an adult basic education program. These students who exited from K-12 education may have emotion regulation abilities that are underdeveloped or taxed by multiple chronic stressors (i.e., geography, work, school, family matters) associated with navigating adult life. This study contributes to a better understanding of how emotion regulation strengths and difficulties present in a diverse population of adult learners.</p> <p>Findings of this study can promote quality education practices by helping ABE centers develop and use culturally competent tailored interventions to address their students' emotion regulation needs. With support and skills development for emotion regulation, students may not be only better prepared to meet academic demands but also be better able to use emotion regulation skills to facilitate their life goals. Results shed light on how emotion regulation presents in this unique, diverse population, which may be used to adapt interventions and identify factors that can impede or motivate academic and vocational success.</p> <p>Who dictates what "healthy" or "effective" emotion regulation entails, how it manifests, and for what purposes? This study demonstrates the importance of a depoliticization of psychological instrument design and illustrates the necessity of developing measures alongside the communities we aim to serve. Drawing upon a Freirean (1970) perspective, these findings represent a prime opportunity—both pedagogically and ethically—to transform how we understand, measure, and teach emotions to marginalized learners. 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Educational Researcher, 49(2), 90–100.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0187236956-26"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibtext> The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers F32AA029627 and L30AA030412 and by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Project Number 5T32DA019426-19. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. This work was funded in part by the State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), but this publication does not express the views of DMHAS or the State of Connecticut. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shannon W. Schrader</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext>Graph https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3173-6964</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Shannon W. Schrader; Brittany D. Miller-Roenigk; Maria Crouch; Sydney C. Simmons; Frances J. Griffith and Derrick M. Gordon</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author</p> <p></p> <p>Shannon W. Schrader, PhD, is a Staff Psychologist at VA Connecticut Healthcare System and an Associate Research Scientist at Yale School of Medicine. She is the program coordinator of the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) Program at VA Connecticut, which supports homeless Veterans. Both her clinical work and program of research surround determinants of success during critical life transition points.</p> <p>Brittany D. Miller-Roenigk, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky in the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. Her research program focuses on substance use and mental health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities towards the aim of informing culturally adapted and tailored interventions.</p> <p>Maria Crouch (Deg Hit'an and Coahuiltecan Tribes), PhD, is a clinical-community psychologist and an Assistant Professor Adjunct at Yale School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. Her clinical work and program of research is focused on the intersection of trauma-informed care, evidence-based practices, and practice-based evidence (Indigenous approaches) to address alcohol and drug misuse, and related health impacts of social determinants among American Indian and Alaska Native communities from a cultural, strengths-based approach.</p> <p>Sydney C. Simmons, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow in the NIDA T31 program through the Division of Prevention and Community Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the prevention of risk behaviors and the promotion of positive development in youth and young adult serving settings, and strengthening services, settings, and systems that interface with youth in crisis.</p> <p>Frances J. Griffith, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow in the NIDA T32 prorgram through the Divisino of Prevention and Community Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. Her research and clinical-community interventions focus on increasing health equity for people in recovery with intersecting marginalized identities.</p> <p>Derrick M. Gordon, PhD, is an Associate Professor Psychiatry (Psychology Section) at Yale University School of Medicine and Child Study Center. As a clinical-community psychologist, his work focuses on providing clinical supports in non-traditional settings with a special emphasis on health promotion and wellbeing for members of disenfranchised/marginalized communities.</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib32" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib34" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib36" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib31" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib35" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib28" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref14"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref22"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref23"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref24"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref26"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref27"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib29" firstref="ref31"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref32"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref42"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib37" firstref="ref43"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref70"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl22" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref71"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl23" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref72"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl24" bibid="bib30" firstref="ref76"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl25" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref77"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl26" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref79"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl27" bibid="bib33" firstref="ref80"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl28" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref81"></nolink>
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An: EJ1479846
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PubType: Academic Journal
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Emotion Regulation in Adult Education Students: Diversifying Our Understanding of Emotion Regulation Measurement, Conceptualization, and Application
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shannon+W%2E+Schrader%22">Shannon W. Schrader</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3173-6964">0000-0002-3173-6964</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brittany+D%2E+Miller-Roenigk%22">Brittany D. Miller-Roenigk</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maria+Crouch%22">Maria Crouch</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sydney+C%2E+Simmons%22">Sydney C. Simmons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Frances+J%2E+Griffith%22">Frances J. Griffith</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Derrick+M%2E+Gordon%22">Derrick M. Gordon</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22New+Horizons+in+Adult+Education+%26+Human+Resource+Development%22"><i>New Horizons in Adult Education & Human Resource Development</i></searchLink>. 2025 37(3):180-190.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 11
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: SourceSuprt
  Label: Sponsoring Agency
  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (DHHS/NIH)<br />National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DHHS/PHS)
– Name: NumberContract
  Label: Contract Number
  Group: NumCntrct
  Data: F32AA029627<br />L30AA030412
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Adult+Basic+Education%22">Adult Basic Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Adult+Education%22">Adult Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+Students%22">Adult Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Response%22">Emotional Response</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Control%22">Self Control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Measures+%28Individuals%29%22">Measures (Individuals)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+Basic+Education%22">Adult Basic Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+Areas%22">Urban Areas</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1177/19394225251356884
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1939-4225
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Educational attainment is associated with good health and well-being in a variety of domains. Some students seeking to further their education are adult learners who present to adult basic education (ABE) centers. One factor that may be important for ABE students' success is emotion regulation--the ability to regulate or modify one's emotional arousal in a goal-consistent manner. Unfortunately, the most widely used measure of emotion regulation (the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) was normed upon a homogenous sample of college students who were primarily White. Research has been slow to thoroughly examine emotion regulation abilities in diverse populations such as ABE students, who represent diversity in a number of ways (race, ethnicity, age, roles, responsibilities, stressors, employment). This study examined how emotion regulation presented in a diverse sample of ABE students (N = 237). As anticipated, emotion regulation manifested differently in this sample than the sample the DERS was originally normed upon. These findings underscore the need for interventions maximizing emotion regulation skills that are sensitive to culture, context, environment, and individual to effectively promote quality education practices.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1479846
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1479846
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/19394225251356884
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 180
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Adult Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotional Response
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Control
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Measures (Individuals)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adult Basic Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Urban Areas
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Emotion Regulation in Adult Education Students: Diversifying Our Understanding of Emotion Regulation Measurement, Conceptualization, and Application
        Type: main
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            – D: 01
              M: 09
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