Background: The Regulatory Focus Questionnaire (RFQ) assesses regulatory promotion and prevention focus, which
represent orientations towards gains or losses. The main objective of this study was to examine the psychometric
properties of the newly translated German version.
Methods: A sample of 1024 participants answered the questionnaire and several related instruments. We used an
online survey tool to collect this data. Data analysis was conducted using methods of exploratory and confirmatory factor
analysis in SPSS and AMOS.
Results: The RFQ displayed acceptable reliability, while its correlations with other, related psychological constructs
indicated good validity. Factor analysis showed good fit for a two-dimensional model. Tests of measurement invariance
revealed clear evidence for metric invariance while scalar invariance remained uncertain. Differences in regulatory focus
based on sociodemographic characteristics are reported and discussed.
Conclusions: Overall, the RFQ can be recommended for application in fields dealing with motivation and goal attainment
in a broad sense.