LIFE SATISFACTION IN THE RETIREMENT TRANSITION: A RESOURCE-BASED DYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE

Applying a resource perspective, present study investigates how self-esteem, autonomy, social support and self-rated physical health contribute to life satisfaction in different retirement stages. In particular, effects of resource interdependency were analyzed before, during and after the retirement transition. The study was conducted using data from the HEalth, Ageing and Retirement Transitions in Sweden (HEARTS) study, including not yet retired (N=3195), partly retired (N=597) and fully retired (N=1125) individuals. Results from three separate regression analyses show that the four resources together accounts for 39–45% of the variation in life satisfaction. Further, multiple interaction effects (both positive and negative) was found for partly and fully retired individuals, indicating that the four resources play different roles in different retirement stages. Our findings show that the retirement transition is a turbulent period where the individual’s well-being is influenced by the interaction between many factors.