Will tomorrow be better? The moral experiments of three women with mental illness

Based on 16 months of fieldwork in a Chinese psychiatric hospital from 2017 to 2019, this study applies Myers's concept of moral agency to explore the efforts of three women with mental illness in their pursuits of a better life, examining their actions and interactions with social workers throughout the process. It enriches our understanding of moral agency by demonstrating that its actualization requires not only freedom, intention, and access to their life plans, but also patients' reflections on the relationships between themselves and the others. The study provides an example to comprehend the recovery of moral agency within a family-centered context, where patients' aspirations for a better life may be constrained by cultural expectations. This study also suggests that hospital social workers should establish trusting relationships with patients to accurately assess their genuine understanding of a good life and navigate the institutional constraints with the patients.