Chapple et al . (1995) observed that carrier and non-carrier women who had attended genetic counselling felt personally responsible and blamed themselves for their children’s disabilities and impairments, and did not change their views when it was explained that their child’s disorder was caused by genetic mutations that were out of their personal control. (Hallowell)
Guilt is both a cognitive and an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes that he or she has violated a moral standard and is responsible for that violation (Encyclopaedia of Psychology definition). Therefore, as the moral standards around health and reproductive decisions scrutinize personal responsibility they become harder to live up to, and guilt is a natural response.
A guilty conscience results from thoughts that we have not lived up to our ideal self. However guilt does not necessary help or contribute to any kind of a solution, does feeling guilty function as an outcome which allows one to portray to oneself a responsible action?
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