Retirement as a Psychosocial Transition: Process of Adaptation to Change

Abstract

This study seeks to verify if the work-to-retirement process meets the requirements inherent to the Psychosocial Transitions Model [1]. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations are used to verify if pre-, intra-, and post-retirement periods are different from one another when the individual's internal organization is examined. The experimental group ( n = 17, age = 65) takes IPAT, LSI-A, and clinical interviews evaluations at pre-, intra-, and post-retirement measurement times. The control group ( n = 22, age = 65), used to verify the test-retest effect, takes these evaluations only at the post-retirement session. Variance analysis (ANOVA) show, at a quantitative level that the retirement transition triggers observable changes in anxiety levels. A posteriori analysis (HELMERT) shows that these operate significantly between the pre- and intra-retirement times. The content analysis of interviews shows, at a qualitative level, observable changes in pre-post-retirement preoccupations. These include death thoughts.