Who am I in retirement? Antecedents and outcomes of retirement self-uncertainty

Abstract Feeling certain about who one is and their place in the world is fundamental to human psychological functioning; however, significant life transitions, such as retirement, may prompt uncertainty about the self. This study introduces the concept of retirement self-uncertainty, or individual perceptions that the self-concept in retirement is unknown. We propose and test a moderated mediation model of retirement self-uncertainty in which it acts as a psychological mechanism linking individuals’ experiences of pre- and post-retirement resource challenges to retirement adjustment. Using a time-lagged study of retired adults living in the United States (N = 352), we find that the involuntariness of the retirement decision and financial hardship during retirement were positively associated with retirement self-uncertainty; subjective health status during retirement was negatively associated with retirement self-uncertainty. Calling orientation, or perceptions that pre-retirement work held significant meaning and purpose, strengthened the positive relationship between financial hardship and retirement self-uncertainty, but did not moderate relationships between involuntary retirement and subjective health with retirement self-uncertainty. Finally, retirement self-uncertainty was negatively associated with retirement satisfaction and psychological well-being. Our study calls attention to the resource-based factors that may prompt individuals to experience self-uncertainty in retirement, thus posing challenges to their adjustment.