Abstract
In this paper we test hypotheses about the importance of life stage in moderating the relationship between acknowledging regrets
and concurrent well-being, as well as how changes in women’s social roles during the post-war period affected the content
of the regrets they develop. We examine the relationship between women’s life regrets and life satisfaction, and the content
of life regrets, using data from 313 predominately white, college-educated women who graduated from the same university in
the United States in 1951/2 (age 66), 1972 (age 46) and 1992 (age 26). Analyses revealed that the more types of regrets middle-aged
and older women reported (the 1972 and 1951/2 cohorts respectively), the lower their life satisfaction; this pattern did not
hold for the youngest women. In terms of the specific content of regrets, exact logistic regressions showed that women in
the oldest cohort reported more regrets about prioritizing family over career compared with the later cohorts. Overall, few
women reported regrets about prioritizing their careers over families; however, women in the middle cohort were most likely
to report these regrets. Results are discussed in terms of both developmental and socio-historical frameworks.
and concurrent well-being, as well as how changes in women’s social roles during the post-war period affected the content
of the regrets they develop. We examine the relationship between women’s life regrets and life satisfaction, and the content
of life regrets, using data from 313 predominately white, college-educated women who graduated from the same university in
the United States in 1951/2 (age 66), 1972 (age 46) and 1992 (age 26). Analyses revealed that the more types of regrets middle-aged
and older women reported (the 1972 and 1951/2 cohorts respectively), the lower their life satisfaction; this pattern did not
hold for the youngest women. In terms of the specific content of regrets, exact logistic regressions showed that women in
the oldest cohort reported more regrets about prioritizing family over career compared with the later cohorts. Overall, few
women reported regrets about prioritizing their careers over families; however, women in the middle cohort were most likely
to report these regrets. Results are discussed in terms of both developmental and socio-historical frameworks.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-14
- DOI 10.1007/s11199-012-0126-6
- Authors
- Nicky Newton, Youngstown State University, Psychology Department, One University Plaza, Youngstown, OH 44514, USA
- Cynthia Torges, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
- Abigail Stewart, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Journal Sex Roles
- Online ISSN 1573-2762
- Print ISSN 0360-0025