Ambivalence over Emotional Expressiveness: psychometric evaluation of the AEQ-G18 in a representative German survey

Objective: The present study evaluates a questionnaire on ambivalence over emotional expressiveness, the AEQ-G18, with regard to its statistical parameters, the influence of socio-demographic variables, and its interrelationship with depression and quality of life.Methods: A representative German sample (1009 participants from East Germany and 1034 participants from West Germany) completed the AEQ-G18 the depression screener DEP-2, the Profile of Mood States POMS, the revised Beck Depression Inventory BDI, the short form of the Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-9 and the SF-36 health survey questionnaire.Results: Our study was only partially able to confirm the two factors effect ambivalence and competence ambivalence postulated by Traue et al. Women scored somewhat higher on the scale effect ambivalence. Participants with a higher educational background exhibited less emotional ambivalence. Emotional ambivalence correlated positively with depression and reduced psychological state of health (depression, fatigue, and anger), whereas it correlated negatively with health-related quality of life and positive attitude (vigor). In addition to the scales of the AEQ-G18, we developed a short form, the AEQ-G10, and provide normative data for the AEQ-G18 and the AEQ-G10.Conclusion: This study presents normative data for two variations of a clinically relevant, valid, and time-efficient diagnostic instrument used for the evaluation of ambivalence over emotional expressiveness, the AEQ-G18 and its short form, the AEQ-G10.