Retirement and meaning attribution: A study with active workers in Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the meanings attributed to retirement by active workers. For this purpose, the Retirement Meaning Scale was constructed and administered to 275 active workers (53.5% women) aged 22 to 67 years. The results reveal an ambiguous meaning attribution to the phenomenon: on one hand, there is a positive idea of freedom; on the other hand, the workers report experiences of anguish and insecurity related to retirement. Among the variables investigated, the proximity to retirement was especially relevant to the perception of the phenomenon, which influenced three of the four factors identified. This study has implications for policies and programs that aim to promote healthy experiences in retirement.