Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
07:40
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Regret resolution, aging, and adapting to loss.
Cynthia M Torges1, Abigail J Stewart, Susan Nolen-Hoeksema
1School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106, USA. ctorges@umich.edu
Psychology and Aging
|March 26, 2008
Summary
Resolving regrets aids well-being and adjustment after losing a loved one. Older adults are more successful at resolving these regrets during bereavement than younger adults.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Bereavement Studies
Background:
- Unresolved regrets are linked to lower well-being.
- Regret resolution is crucial for psychological adjustment.
- Bereavement presents unique challenges for regret resolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of regret resolution in adapting to the death of a loved one.
- To determine if older adults resolve bereavement-related regrets more effectively than younger adults.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 147 adults experiencing bereavement after hospice care.
- Mixed-effects models analyzed depressive symptoms, well-being, and rumination.
- Data collected from an age-heterogeneous sample.
Main Results:
- Regret resolution significantly improved adjustment post-loss, affecting depressive symptoms, well-being, and rumination.
- Older adults demonstrated a greater capacity for resolving bereavement-related regrets compared to younger adults.
Conclusions:
- Regret resolution is a key factor in adapting to bereavement.
- Interventions promoting early regret resolution may benefit grieving individuals.
- Age influences the ability to resolve regrets during the grieving process.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Bonanno's Theory of Grieving
Grieving is a complex psychological and emotional process that varies significantly among individuals. George Bonanno's research on bereavement identified four distinct patterns of grieving, offering a nuanced understanding of how people cope with significant loss, such as the death of a spouse, over extended periods. These patterns — resilience, recovery, chronic dysfunction, and delayed grief — highlight the diversity in emotional responses and adaptive mechanisms.
Resilience
The resilience...
Resilience
The resilience...
01:27Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines a series of stages through which individuals progress across the lifespan. Each stage involves a psychosocial conflict that significantly influences personal growth and well-being. Three key stages — intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair — highlight the developmental challenges faced in adulthood.
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
01:28Ending Relationships
The dissolution of intimate relationships presents complex emotional and psychological challenges, particularly when emotional bonds are strong, the relationship is long-standing, and perceived alternatives are limited. This distress often intensifies in romantic breakups, where the initiator may experience greater turmoil than the rejected partner. Contributing factors include residual attachment, guilt over causing pain, and uncertainty about how to manage the situation. The stress is further...
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
Several body functions deteriorate with age. The external signs of aging are easily identifiable. For example, the skin becomes dry, less elastic, and thins out, forming wrinkles. The skin of the face begins to appear looser due to a decrease in the levels of elastic and collagen fibers in the connective tissue. Additionally, melanin production in the hair follicle decreases with age, resulting in gray hair. Moreover, the senses of sight and hearing decline, so glasses and hearing aids may...
01:21Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross significantly advanced psychology's understanding of the process of dying with her influential book, On Death and Dying (1969). She focused on studying terminally ill individuals and outlined five stages commonly experienced when coping with death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from emotional distress. Anger...
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from emotional distress. Anger...