Emotion regulation strategies in Russian and Azerbaijani culture

Abstract

We test the measurement invariance of a Russian-language version of ERQ (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire) by J. Gross in two student samples from Russia (N=282) and Azerbaijan (N=190) with a comparable demographic profile (mean age 19, 33,8% males and 66,2 % females). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis provided support for strong invariance, which allows to compare mean observed scores across the cultures. We did not find any significant differences in the mean preference for cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression between the cultures. In Russia, the two strategies were independent, whereas Azerbaijani respondents were more likely to use both strategies at the same time (r = .33, p < .01). Males scored higher on expressive suppression both in Russia (d = .40, p < .01) and in Azerbaijan (d = .64, p < .001); we found no gender differences in cognitive reappraisal. The results are interpreted in combination with findings of our previous comparative studies of emotional processes in Russia and Azerbaijan.

Keywords

• emotion regulation
• cognitive reappraisal
• expressive suppression
• Russia