Adjustment to Retirement: Continuity vs. Discontinuity

TLDR

The study investigates gender differences in how retirees adjust during the first year, focusing on distinct adjustment patterns and the variables that predict them. The longitudinal study interviewed 250 retirees at retirement, 242 at six months, and 222 at one year, and used discriminant analysis to identify three adjustment groups and the factors influencing them. Results show well‑being declined at six months, adjustment patterns differ by gender and other factors, indicating a need for a dynamic view of continuity theory.

Abstract

This research examines gender differences in adjustment to retirement during the first year of retirement. It identifies differences in patterns of adjustment and differences in the discriminating variables that predict these patterns. The study was longitudinal in design and included a pretest interview of 250 people at the time of retirement, a posttest interview of 242 retirees six months after retirement, and a one-year follow-up of 222 completed by mail. A significant main effect for time was found for all three adjustment variables, with well-being declining at the six-month interval. A discriminant analysis of three types of adjustment groups revealed that responses to retirement varies depending on several factors. The findings suggest the need for a dynamic view of continuity theory.