Balancing the Mind: From Regret to Equanimity
Type of Presentation
Poster Session
Location
University Library
Start Date
4-9-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-9-2026 3:15 PM
Abstract
Regret is a cognitively complex emotion that often manifests as rumination and self-criticism, contributing to distress and reduced psychological well-being (Durand-de Cuttoli et al., 2022; Rutledge, Williams, & Barlow, 2024). Mindfulness interventions are known to reduce such maladaptive rumination by cultivating present-moment awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance (Blanke et al., 2020). The present study examines how a brief mindfulness exercise following reflection on a regretful event influences levels of equanimity, self-compassion, and emotional regulation. Sixty undergraduate participants from Governors State University will be randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (Regret Type: Action vs. Inaction) × 2 (Condition: Mindfulness vs. Control) between-subjects design. They will then write about a personal regret (action or inaction) and engage in either a guided mindfulness session emphasizing awareness and acceptance or a neutral writing reflection on study habits. Post-task ratings will assess changes in emotional regulation and equanimity. It is hypothesized that participants in the mindfulness condition will report significantly higher equanimity compared to the control group. Moreover, mindfulness is expected to exert its strongest effect for action-based regrets, which typically evoke greater self-blame. This increase in equanimity is predicted to correlate positively with self-compassion and mindfulness scores, supporting a mediating pathway from awareness to emotional balance. The anticipated findings will clarify how mindfulness practices transform the experience of regret from distress to understanding by cultivating equanimity. By conceptualizing equanimity as a form of emotional transformation, this study extends mindfulness research by emphasizing neutrality as a skill that turns distress into balance.
Identify Grant
Dr. Figen Karadogan
Balancing the Mind: From Regret to Equanimity
University Library
Regret is a cognitively complex emotion that often manifests as rumination and self-criticism, contributing to distress and reduced psychological well-being (Durand-de Cuttoli et al., 2022; Rutledge, Williams, & Barlow, 2024). Mindfulness interventions are known to reduce such maladaptive rumination by cultivating present-moment awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance (Blanke et al., 2020). The present study examines how a brief mindfulness exercise following reflection on a regretful event influences levels of equanimity, self-compassion, and emotional regulation. Sixty undergraduate participants from Governors State University will be randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (Regret Type: Action vs. Inaction) × 2 (Condition: Mindfulness vs. Control) between-subjects design. They will then write about a personal regret (action or inaction) and engage in either a guided mindfulness session emphasizing awareness and acceptance or a neutral writing reflection on study habits. Post-task ratings will assess changes in emotional regulation and equanimity. It is hypothesized that participants in the mindfulness condition will report significantly higher equanimity compared to the control group. Moreover, mindfulness is expected to exert its strongest effect for action-based regrets, which typically evoke greater self-blame. This increase in equanimity is predicted to correlate positively with self-compassion and mindfulness scores, supporting a mediating pathway from awareness to emotional balance. The anticipated findings will clarify how mindfulness practices transform the experience of regret from distress to understanding by cultivating equanimity. By conceptualizing equanimity as a form of emotional transformation, this study extends mindfulness research by emphasizing neutrality as a skill that turns distress into balance.