Psychometric properties of emotional processing questionnaire in irritable bowel syndrome patients and non-clinical population

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD. student in psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

2 Associate professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

3 Assistant professor, Department of Organizational Industrial Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

4 Associate professor, Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

5 Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, QLD, Australia.

10.22038/JFMH.2025.84805.3195

Abstract

Introduction: Difficulties in emotional processing are common in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and are associated with the symptoms of this syndrome. This research aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a researcher-developed instrument to better identify impairments in emotion processing in these patients.
 
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted in two phases among healthy individuals and IBS patients in Iran (2024). First, a Persian translation of the Emotional Processing Questionnaire was performed on a non-clinical population (n= 278). Subsequently, this questionnaire, along with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), was administered to IBS patients (n= 305). Confirmatory factor analysis, construct reliability, criterion validity, and assessment of reliability were analyzed.
 
Results: Findings indicated strong content validity (CVR= 78-92% and CVI= 82-94%). Exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors: emotional experience and expression, emotional awareness and differentiation, emotional tolerance, and emotional communication and regulation. These factors were confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis in the patient sample (GFI= 0.9). Criterion validity showed that disrupted emotional processing was a significant positive predictor of somatization (P< 0.001), depression (P< 0.001), and anxiety (P< 0.001). Among the subscales, emotional tolerance was a significant predictor of somatization, depression and anxiety, while emotional experience and expression was only a significant predictor of depression. The overall scale demonstrated high reliability (α= 0.921, CR= 0.943, Guttman split-half coefficient= 0.871).
 
Conclusion: With its satisfactory psychometric properties, the Emotional Processing Questionnaire can be used as a reliable and valid tool for measuring emotional processing in Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients.

Keywords

References

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Fundamentals of Mental Health
Volume 28, Issue 1
January and February 2026
Pages 1-10

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