Locus of control, previous occupation and satisfaction with retirement

Abstract

A representative sample of 301 Adelaide retirees was interviewed using a structured questionnaire which requested information about locus of control, health symptoms and satisfaction with reitrement (activities, finance, health, people and life in general). Previous research (Reid, Haas, & Hawkings, 1977) had shown that life satisfaction and adjustment of internally controlled retirees was greater than that reported by externally controlled retirees. As it was possible that this relationship was moderated by health of retirees and rated aspect of life satisfaction, it was considered necessary to establish the association between locus of control and aspects of retirement satisfaction when health was statistically controlled. Using partial correlations it was found that Rotter's locus of control scale was a significant predictor of most aspects of retirement satisfaction for males when age and self‐reported health was controlled. For females, only life satisfaction was significantly predicted. Using path analysis, the relationship between the level of skill‐utilization in pre‐retirement occupation, locus of control, and life satisfaction was examined. Skill‐utilization was negatively associated with locus of control for both males and females, but did not have a direct association with life satisfaction.