Assessing the Process of Retirement: a Cross-Cultural Review of Available Measures

Individual, family, job, and organizational factors associated with retirement intentions among older long-term care workers: A systematic review

This systematic review synthesized prior quantitative research on individual, family, job, and organizational factors associated with retirement intentions (RI) among older long-term care (LTC) workers. Seven databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies. RI were defined as early (<65 years) or late (>65 years). To assess the methodological quality, we used JBI's checklists. The PRISMA statement guided this review. After duplicates were removed, 4 489 records were identified. A final sample of six articles was selected as eligible for inclusion. Current findings show weak social support, high physical job demands, and type of LTC occupation as important determinants for early RI. Strong social support and good job resources are important determinants fore late RI. In contrast to earlier research on other groups of older workers, this review shows no statistically associations between health nor emotional job demands and early RI for LTC workers. The results are discussed using the JD-R theory.

Irrational beliefs indirectly predict retirement satisfaction through the conceptualization of retirement: a cross-sectional study in a sample of recent retirees

BACKGROUND

Although most retirees are satisfied, some do not feel well in retirement. The resource-based dynamic perspective explains retirement dissatisfaction as the lack of resources. This study focused on psychological resources, specifically on the role of rational/irrational beliefs and retirement concepts in retirement satisfaction. While irrational beliefs have many consequences, we know little about their role in retirement experiences, nor do we know about the benefits/harm of retirement concepts for retirement satisfaction. We assumed that not succumbing to irrational beliefs and conceptualizing retirement actively and positively add to psychological resources helping to adjust to retirement and retirement satisfaction. Our objective was to examine whether irrational beliefs and retirement concepts contributed to satisfaction or dissatisfaction in recent retirees.

METHODS

200 recent retirees (average retirement time 2.8 years) completed questionnaires containing the Irrational Belief Scale, the Satisfaction with Retirement Scale, and the Retirement Lifestyles Questionnaire, which determines the inclination toward four retirement concepts: Transition to Old Age, New Start, Continuation, and Imposed Disruption. The Pearson correlation coefficients were used to estimate the relationship between irrational beliefs, retirement concepts, and retirement satisfaction. We used a parallel mediation model with multiple mediators in the mediation analysis where irrational beliefs were the independent variable, retirement satisfaction was the dependent variable, and the four retirement concepts were mediators.

RESULTS

We confirmed higher retirement satisfaction in recent retirees who conceptualize retirement as a New Start and Continuation and higher retirement dissatisfaction in those who see retirement as an Imposed Disruption or Transition to Old Age. The general irrational beliefs had a weaker direct impact on retirement satisfaction than the more specific retirement concepts. Inclination to general irrational beliefs appeared only weakly reflected in retirement dissatisfaction. However, a negative view of retirement as an imposed disruption might increase this inclination by intensifying retirement dissatisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show a negative retirement concept as an imposed disruptive event that amplifies the impact of general irrational beliefs and leads to retirement dissatisfaction in recent retirees. It suggests that using rational-emotive behavior therapy and interventions to change the negative perception of retirement could be effective in increasing retirement satisfaction.

Enhancing Planning Behavior during Retirement: Effects of a Time Perspective Based Training Intervention

Time perspective is a psychological construct that reflects the way people view time. Two schools of thought exist that theorize how this temporal mindset affects behavior—dominant and balanced. We applied dominant and balanced time perspective frameworks separately to two versions of an online intervention that aimed to promote goal-setting and accumulation of essential retirement resources (health, physical, social, cognitive and emotional) and compared effects with a control group. The effectiveness of the intervention was tested with 109 US retirees using a 4-wave design over a 6-month period. Linear mixed models showed an increase in health goal striving for the balanced group at posttraining and gains were maintained at the 3-month time point. Both training groups demonstrated an increase in the number and specificity of goals at posttraining and 3-months. Applying a time perspective framework to an online planning intervention for retirees shows promise in promoting planning for retirement resources. Practical implications, limitations, and suggestions for developing future interventions are discussed.

Retirement and Meaning Attribution: A study with Active Workers in Brazil

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the meanings attributed to retirement by active workers. For this purpose, the Retirement Meaning Scale was constructed and administered to 275 active workers (53.5% women) aged 22 to 67 years. The results reveal an ambiguous meaning attribution to the phenomenon: on one hand, there is a positive idea of freedom; on the other hand, the workers report experiences of anguish and insecurity related to retirement. Among the variables investigated, the proximity to retirement was especially relevant to the perception of the phenomenon, which influenced three of the four factors identified. This study has implications for policies and programs that aim to promote healthy experiences in retirement.

Cultural adaptation of the Retirement Resources Inventory for Brazilian culture

OBJECTIVE

To translate and adapt the Retirement Resources Inventory for Brazilian culture.

METHODS

Methodological research including the stages of translation, synthesis, evaluation by committee of judges, back-translation and pre-test. The internal consistency of the instrument with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was evaluated.

RESULTS

We considered the stages of translation and cultural adaptation adequate. The evaluation of the synthesis version by the judges resulted in the need to change 95.0% of the items to ensure the semantic, idiomatic, cultural and conceptual equivalence between the original and translated versions. In general consensus of the instrument, the agreement rate among the judges for the equivalences was 84.4%. As for the pre-test stage, 25 pre-retirees participated. The participants suggested adjustments in the instrument. The instrument’s internal consistency was 0.85. The mean time to fill in the instrument was 18.7 minutes

CONCLUSIONS

The methodological process of cultural adaptation of the Retirement Resources Inventory resulted in adequate content validity and ease of understanding by the participants. We emphasize that this study precedes the evaluation process of the psychometric properties of the instrument, which will be carried out in new studies.