Exploring the Relationship between Marital Status and Women's Retirement Satisfaction

Abstract

Increased divorce rates, declining marriage rates, and a predisposition to widowhood in later life all contribute to the heterogeneous marital histories of women approaching retirement. Existing research on retirement, however, has not considered the diversity in marital status that exists among retired women. The purpose of the present study was to explore the influence of marital status (i.e., married, remarried, widowed, divorced/separated, never-married) on women's retirement satisfaction. Using a purposive sampling method, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to retired women. Participants ( N = 331) were asked to report on their retirement satisfaction, psychological well-being, and perceived health. Results revealed retirement satisfaction and perceived health differed by marital status. Psychological well-being, however, did not differ significantly between marital groups. Future research exploring diversity in marital status among retired women is suggested.