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Degree

Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Services and Research, 2006.

Abstract

The majority of retirement planning consists of financial planning, and even existing psycho-social planning models do not utilize theoretical perspectives. Current theoretical and empirical aging literature shows support for applying the Transtheoretical Model’s (TTM) processes of change to retirement. The purpose of this study was to validate the TTM’s processes of change as a possible holistic model for retirement planning. The research questions addressed in this study were: What is the underlying factor structure of the items on the TTM questionnaire as revised for pre-retirement planning? To what extent does the revised instrument reflect the factor structure of the TTM? Which factors in the revised instrument are more applicable among this population? Modified TTM questionnaires were sent to eight-hundred-twenty-three recent retirees from The Ohio State University. Responses from three-hundred retirees were analyzed using common factor and principle components analysis. The analysis resulted in eleven factors on the frequency scale and nine factors on the helpfulness scale. When comparing the frequency scale factor solution to the helpfulness scale factor solution, four of the factors matched the a priori structure (dramatic relief, helping relationships, counter-conditioning, and self-reevaluation). Three additional factors matched on the two scales, but were not a priori (consciousness-raising – media, consciousness-raising – personal contact, and stimulus control – environmental). It was concluded that the TTM shows promise as a comprehensive model for psycho-social retirement planning, and that when the TTM is applied to retirement planning, some processes of change will differ slightly from before to after the retirement event. The four factors that match the a priori structure on both scales indicate that these constructs are important in any significant transition in one’s life, not just health behavior change. Of these factors, helping relationships, dramatic relief, and self-reevaluation appear to be the most applicable across the transition. The additional three constructs that match between the two scales but were not a priori all seem to deal with some sort of external stimulus; which leads to the conclusion that these new constructs are important throughout the individual’s transition into retirement by providing external cues to awareness before retirement and adjustment after retirement.

Keywords

Retirement; Retirement Planning; Transtheoretical Model; Gerontological Theory; Psycho-Social Retirement Planning

Advisor

David S. Stein

Pages

244p.

Document number: osu1147267423
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1147267423

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