The value of adaptive regret management in retirement

Letting Go of Gold: Examining the Role of Autonomy in Elite Athletes’ Disengagement from Their Athletic Careers and Well-Being in Retirement

Retirement from competitive sports significantly influences former athletes’ well-being. We propose that disengaging from the former athletic career is a crucial factor in retired athletes’ adaptation. Using the theoretical framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) we propose that sport motivation at the career peak and motivation for retirement are important determinants of athletes’ disengagement progress from a terminated athletic career. We also seek to examine how motivation for retirement and disengagement progress predict retired athletes’ well-being. Using a mixed-retrospective/prospective longitudinal design we followed 158 government-supported elite athletes who had recently retired from an athletic career. In two online surveys administered 1.5 years apart, retired athletes reported on motivation, disengagement, and well-being. Results suggested that SDT motivation factors are important predictors for elite athletes career disengagement and well-being in retirement. The clinical implications of these findings for athletic career transition and support programs are discussed.

Biopsychosocial and Retirement Factors Influencing Satisfaction With Life: New Perspectives

Founded on expectation confirmation theory and a resource perspective, this research examines the impact of retiree resources, retirement planning, conditions of work exit, and confirmation of retirement expectations on satisfaction with life in retirement. The study of 543 retirees found significant effects of retiree resources (i.e., self-efficacy, health, and income), confirmation of retirement expectations, ageism, retirement planning, and conditions of exit on retirees' satisfaction with life. The study also showed that self-efficacy, activity participation, health, income, ageism, and retirement planning significantly impacted confirmation of retirement expectations, although conditions of exit did not significantly affect confirmation of retirement expectations.