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Preretirement influences on postretirement self-esteem
D C Reitzes1, E J Mutran, M E Fernandez
1Department of Sociology, Georgia State University, USA. socdcr@panther.gsu.edu
Summary
Retirement does not have to mean a loss of self-esteem. Investing in your roles as a worker and spouse before retirement positively impacts self-esteem after you stop working.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Gerontology
- Sociology of Retirement
Background:
- The transition to retirement can impact an individual's self-esteem.
- Understanding factors that maintain or enhance self-esteem during retirement is crucial.
- Previous research has not fully explored the role of pre-retirement investments in worker and spouse identities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the consequences of preretirement self-investments in worker and spouse roles on postretirement self-esteem.
- To examine whether self-esteem declines during the transition into retirement.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from in-depth telephone interviews.
- Sample included 300 retired workers from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, metropolitan area.
- Analyzed the influence of preretirement commitments and identity meanings on self-esteem.
Main Results:
- Self-esteem does not significantly decline in the transition to retirement.
- Commitment to the worker role and worker identity meanings positively influence postretirement self-esteem, potentially indirectly through preretirement self-esteem.
- Commitment to the spouse role positively impacts self-esteem in retirement.
- Preretirement self-esteem positively affects postretirement self-esteem.
Conclusions:
- Preretirement self and identity factors significantly influence postretirement self-esteem.
- Maintaining strong worker and spouse roles prior to retirement can buffer against potential declines in self-esteem.
- The findings highlight the importance of continued identity investment beyond the work role for successful aging.