Tell me about regret: Regret identification and labeling in children and adults

The labeling of emotions plays an important role in one's ability to adapt behavior to environmental and contextual demands. However, little is currently known about children's ability to label regret. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine 3rd–5th grade (CE2 to CM2) children's ability to label regret from written stories compared to that of adults (18–30 years). We also aimed to compare regret labeling to the labeling of other complex emotions, in particular disappointment. To this end, the participants read short stories designed to elicit sadness, anger, shame, guilt, disappointment and regret. We assessed emotion labeling by asking participants to label the emotions felt after reading each story, and through the reporting of the intensity with which they felt listed emotions. Children identified regret from the age of 10–11 years, and disappointment from the age of 8–9 years. However, regret and disappointment labeling remained rare in children of all age groups. Our results indicate that regret and disappointment labeling is a long process that is still developing from 3rd to 5th grade, and that the presentation of a list of emotions leads to better labeling of the target emotion than a free labeling task. The implications of our results as well as methodological considerations are discussed.