What do we do to help others feel better? The eight strategies of the Regulating Others’ Emotions Scale (ROES).

Theoretical models of interpersonal extrinsic emotion regulation (the regulation of others’ emotions) recognize many different regulation strategies, yet existing assessments do not assess a wide number of strategies at a granular level. In the present research, we develop the Regulation of Others’ Emotions Scale to capture eight extrinsic emotion regulation strategies (expressive suppression, downward social comparison, humor, distraction, direct action, cognitive reframing, valuing, and receptive listening). Studies 1 (N = 321) and 2 (N = 121) identified eight strategies that differ in how much they require engagement with the target person. Studies 3 (N = 310) and 4 (N = 150 dyads) found evidence for test–retest reliability, structural validity, and correlations with other constructs (i.e., discriminant, convergent, and criterion-related validity). Results suggest that three high-engagement strategies have the strongest links to regulator and target outcomes (such as well-being and relationship quality), with the strongest effects for valuing, then cognitive reframing, and then receptive listening. The discussion focuses on the two broad contributions of the current research: a new instrument assessing multiple strategies and the integration of two different theoretical frameworks for the regulation of others’ emotions.