Changes of life satisfaction in the transition to retirement: a latent-class approach.
Contradictory positions have been advanced as to whether retirement has negative, positive, or no effects on subjective well-being. The authors investigated changes in life satisfaction in 1,456 German retirees. Using latent growth mixture modeling, the authors found 3 groups of people who experienced retirement differently. In Group 1, satisfaction declined at retirement but continued on a stable or increasing trajectory thereafter. Group 2 demonstrated a large increase in satisfaction at retirement but overall declining satisfaction. In Group 3, satisfaction showed a temporary very small increase at retirement. Groups differed by retirement age, gender, socioeconomic status, marital status, health, unemployment before retiring, and region. Thus, retirement is not a uniform transition, and resource-rich individuals are less likely to experience retirement-related change in satisfaction.
Pinquart
Martin
M
Department of Developmental Psychology, Center for Applied Developmental Science, Friedrich Schiller University, D-07743 Jena, Germany. martin.pinquart@uni-jena.de
Schindler
Ines
I
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology*; D012922:Social Change; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology