title: The retirement adjustment process: changes in the well-being of male retirees across time.
abstract: The purpose of this prospective study was to (1) evaluate the impact of retirement, (2) monitor the change in adjustment across time, and (3) identify the resources predictive of short- and long-term adjustment in retirement. A sample of 117 male retirees was assessed on indices of physical and psychological health, perceived control, retirement satisfaction, and life satisfaction at 2-4 months preretirement, 1 year post-, and 6-7 years postretirement. The results provided support for a positive impact of retirement, as retirees evidenced increases in well-being during the first year. There was also evidence of a retirement adjustment process, in that aspects of well-being (i.e., psychological health) changed from short- to long-term retirement. Finally, physical health, income, and voluntary retirement status predicted short-term adjustment, while internal locus of control was an additional resource for long-term adjustment. Changes in resources over time also differentially predicted short- and long-term adjustment (e.g., an increase in internal locus of control predicted an increase in activity satisfaction at 1 year but not at 6-7 years postretirement).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Gall
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006295:Health Resources; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013997:Time Factors