Adults’ experiences of moral regret

Abstract

Individuals may need to reflect on their past decisions and this process can often be accompanied by feelings of regret. Recognizing and acknowledging these emotions can facilitate personal growth and inform future decision-making. This study aims to explore adults’ experiences of moral regret. Phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research approaches, was used in the study. The study involved 15 adult individuals selected through snowball sampling. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher and analyzed through thematic analysis using Maxqda 2020. As a result of the analysis, the themes of remorse, nostalgia, and grief emerged. The research findings indicate that adults experience spiritual regrets intensely. The research reveals that adults see spiritual regrets as a learning tool. Based on the results of the research, suggestions for researchers and practitioners were made.

Keywords: grief; Moral; nostalgia; regret; remorse.