Does Retirement Hurt Weil-Being? Factors Influencing Self-Esteem and Depression Among Retires and Workers

Abstract

A set of older workers from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area were followed for two years in order to explore the social psychological consequences of retirement. Three findings are of particular interest. First, when we separated workers who retired from those who continued to work and compared their self-esteem and depression scores over the two-year interval, we found that self-esteem scores did not change for either group, but that depression scores declined for workers who retired. Turning to differences between retirees and those who continued to work, regression analyses revealed that retirement had a positive influence on self-esteem and a negative influence on depression. In addition, earlier worker identity meanings had a stronger negative effect on the depression scores of respondents who continued to work than on those who retired.

Association between Subjective Well-Being and Retirement among Older People

“…Although previous studies such as the one by Bossé et al [20] have not found differences in psychological symptoms between retirees and workers, others have reported improved mental health and emotional aspects in retirees who held some kind of occupation after retirement [21] and a worsening in mental health in inactive retirees [22]. The general analysis of data in the present research revealed a strong presence of positive aspects of being retired reported by the respondents.…”

Avaliação da qualidade de vida de aposentados com a utilização do questionário SF-36

“…Gonzáles et al (1995) 22 relataram piora na saúde mental em aposentados inativos. Reitzes et al (1996) 23 também observaram melhora da saúde mental e dos aspectos emocionais em aposentados que mantinham algum tipo de ocupação após a aposentadoria. Herzog et al (1991) ressaltaram que a forma de exercício da atividade de trabalho após a aposentadoria pode influir na qualidade de vida, destacando que o trabalho estressante contribuiu para uma piora da saúde mental em aposentados 24 .…”

Work is central to doctors’ identity, and those unable to work need support

“…Reitzes et al 1996) Demographic trends mean that older workers form an increasing proportion of the workforce. Some reduction in physical and mental capability and workability is probably inevitable with age, but chronological age is not a reliable marker.…”