RER-LX: A new scale to measure reduced emotional resonance in bilinguals’ later learnt language

Toivo, W., Scheepers, C. and Dewaele, J.-M. (2023) RER-LX: A new scale to measure reduced emotional resonance in bilinguals’ later learnt language. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, (doi: 10.1017/S1366728923000561) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

In two online survey studies (N = 688 and N = 247, respectively) we developed and validated a new psychometric scale for measuring emotional resonance reduction in bilinguals’ LX (“later learnt language”) relative to their L1 (“first language”). The final scale, dubbed RER-LX (for Reduced Emotional Resonance in LX), comprises 15 items and possesses a number of desirable psychometric properties. It yields good test reliability (expected alpha between 0.8 and 0.9), produces near-normally distributed test scores, and exhibits content validity in terms of its underlying factor structure. Moreover, it correlates well with the only other instrument previously used for the same purpose (BEQ subscale comprising BEQ-swearing, BEQ-feelings and BEQ-anger). However, compared to the BEQ items, RER-LX has significantly better discriminant validity in relation to LexTALE, a widely used measure of proficiency in English as a second language. Our new scale will be useful to researchers studying bilingualism and emotion.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Scheepers, Dr Christoph and Toivo, Dr Wilhelmiina
• Authors: Toivo, W., Scheepers, C., and Dewaele, J.-M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Bilingualism: Language and Cognition
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• ISSN: 1366-7289
• ISSN (Online): 1469-1841
• Published Online: 09 October 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Bilingualism: Language and Cognition 2023
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher