The Structure of the Emotional Processing Scale (EPS-25). An Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling Analysis Using Medical and Community Samples

The Emotional Processing Scale (EPS) assesses emotional processing in terms of suppression, signs of unprocessed emotion, controllability of emotions, avoidance of emotional triggers, and impoverished emotional experience. Previous confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) yielded insufficient fit and questioned the EPS factors' discriminant validity. The present study aimed to test unidimensional, five-factor, and bifactor models using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and CFA. We administered the scale to 350 Italian participants in good health and 346 gastrointestinal patients referred for endoscopy because of mild-to-severe gastrointestinal symptoms. ESEM models outperformed corresponding CFA models. The bifactor ESEM model was a good fit in single group analyses and achieved metric and scalar invariance in multigroup analyses. The inspection of latent mean differences revealed a consistent trend for patients to avoid emotional triggers and have less general emotional processing difficulties. The study clarified the EPS factor structure and supported its use to assess the emotional processing of medical patients and community participants.