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Paradox of life after work: A systematic review and meta-analysis on retirement anxiety and life satisfaction

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  • Lawrence Ejike Ugwu
  • Wojujutari Kenni Ajele
  • Erhabor Sunday Idemudia

Abstract

Retirement is a pivotal life transition that often changes routines, identity, and objectives. With increasing life expectancies and evolving societal norms, examining the interplay between retirement anxiety and life satisfaction is vital. This study delves into this relationship, recognising the complexities of retirement. A systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines. Research from 2003 to 2023 was sourced from databases like CINAHL, PubMed/Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Google Scholar, focusing on diverse methodologies and outcomes related to retirement registered in Prospero database (CRD42023427949). The quality assessment used an eight-criterion risk of bias scale, and analyses included qualitative and quantitative approaches, such as random-effects meta-analysis and moderator analyses. After reviewing 19 studies with varied geographical and demographic scopes, a mixed relationship between retirement and life satisfaction emerged: 32% of studies reported a positive relationship, 47% were negative, and 21% found no significant correlation. Meta-analysis indicated high heterogeneity and non-significant mean effect size, suggesting no consistent impact of retirement on life satisfaction. Moderator analyses highlighted the influence of measurement tools on outcomes. The findings reveal a complex interplay between retirement anxiety and life satisfaction, stressing the need for holistic retirement policies that encompass mental health, social integration, and adaptability, focusing on cultural sensitivity. Challenges include potential biases in data sources, methodological diversity, the scarcity of longitudinal studies, and difficulties in addressing recent societal shifts, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Variability in measurement tools and possible publication bias may have also influenced results. This study contributes to understanding retirement, emphasising the relationship between retirement anxiety and life satisfaction. It advocates for ongoing, detailed, culturally informed research to grasp retirement’s multifaceted aspects fully.

Suggested Citation

  • Lawrence Ejike Ugwu & Wojujutari Kenni Ajele & Erhabor Sunday Idemudia, 2024. "Paradox of life after work: A systematic review and meta-analysis on retirement anxiety and life satisfaction," PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(4), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pgph00:0003074
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003074
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bonsang, Eric & Klein, Tobias J., 2012. "Retirement and subjective well-being," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 83(3), pages 311-329.
    2. Jessica Osikominu & Nancy Bocken, 2020. "A Voluntary Simplicity Lifestyle: Values, Adoption, Practices and Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-30, March.
    3. Dawn C Carr & Phyllis Moen & Maureen Perry Jenkins & Michael Smyer & James M Raymo, 2020. "Postretirement Life Satisfaction and Financial Vulnerability: The Moderating Role of Control," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 75(4), pages 849-860.
    4. Anna Wanka, 2020. "Continuity and change in the transition to retirement: how time allocation, leisure practices and lifestyles evolve when work vanishes in later life," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 81-93, March.
    5. Agron HOXHA, 2019. "Psychological Factors Influencing Adjustment To Retirement," Prizren Social Science Journal, SHIKS, vol. 3(3), pages 22-31, December.
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