Spanish adaptation of the Beliefs about Social Sharing of Emotion Questionnaire: BSEQ

This study examined the validity of the Spanish version of the Beliefs about Social Sharing of Emotion Questionnaire, BSEQ (Zech, submitted). This paper describes a study that further evaluates the convergent validity of the scale by examining its relationship with measures theoretically related to social sharing and expression of emotions. A test battery comprising eight questionnaires which measured aspects of emotional expressivity was fulfilled by 390 college students. BSEQ demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and a three-factor structure congruent with the benefits from the expression of emotions: intrapersonal benefits, beneficial effects of non-social sharing, and interpersonal benefits of social sharing. Participant agree more with the intrapersonal than with interpersonal benefits of emotional sharing, and agree less with the benefits of emotional suppression, as expected for subjects sharing an individualistic culture. Results indicated that women, compared to men, believed significantly more in the benefits of social sharing of emotions. We conclude that this Spanish adaptation of the BSEQ is a psychometrically sound measure of the beliefs about social sharing of emotion.