Psychometric Evaluation of the Regulating Emotions in Parenting Scale in Sexual and Gender Minority Parents

Abstract

Emotion regulation (ER) in parenting is crucial for parental well-being and children’s mental health. However, ER in parenting is often studied as a general construct, overlooking the unique challenges of caregiving, particularly for sexual and gender minority (SGM) parents. This study examines the psychometric properties of the Regulating Emotions in Parenting Scale (REPS) in parents across SGM status. Specifically, we leverage cross-sectional survey data from two national samples of ethno-racially diverse parents (n = 1,958, 32.3% sexual minority, 11.2% gender minority) to evaluate measurement invariance, reliability, and predictive validity of the REPS. Model fit indices suggest that the REPS has a consistent structure, item loadings, and intercepts across groups. In terms of validity, results indicate that adaptive strategies predicted lower child psychopathology, while suppression and rumination were more strongly associated with emotional and behavioral issues. Importantly, parent SGM status did not significantly moderate the associations between REPS and child psychopathology, suggesting that these associations are consistent across diverse family structures. By validating the REPS as a robust tool for assessing parenting-specific ER across diverse parent populations, this work addresses critical gaps in parenting research and promotes more inclusive and equitable approaches to understanding parenting and child development.