ABSTRACT

Objective:

The main purpose of the present study was to develop a scale to identify how adolescents regulate the feeling of sadness.

Method:

The research was comprised of three studies. The fi rst study was performed to investigate construct validation of the Sadness Regulation Scale for Adolescents (SRS-A) with 1000 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15-year-old via Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). In the second study, construct validation of the SRS-A was tested by Confi rmatory Factor Analysis (DFA) with 271 adolescents. Criterion-related validity and predictive validity of the scale were tested in the third study with 229 adolescents.

Results:

EFA, scree-plot and parallel test all yielded a four-factor solution supported by DFA. Reliability of the four-factor solution was confi rmed by convergent and discriminant analyses. All subscales of the SRS-A had signifi cant correlations with life-satisfaction and depression scores. Additionally, it was found that predictive validity of the SRS-A through path analysis was confi rmed for life-satisfaction and depression. Finally, Cronbach alpha coeffi cient computed for each subscale was in acceptable limits.

Discussion:

Findings of reliability and validity studies demonstrated that the SRS-A had satisfactory reliability and validity values, and can be safely used to identify sadness regulation strategies of adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15.