A set of older workers 58 to 64 years of age from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area were followed for two years to explore their attitudes toward retirement. Findings include (1) workers who retired by 1994 were more positive about retirement than those who continued to work; (2) attitudes toward retirement in 1992 were influenced by social background, expectations of a pension, having an anticipated time for retirement, worker identity, and self-concept factors; and (3)attitudes toward retirement in 1994 were bolstered by expectations of a pension at retirement, participation in retirement planning activities, earlier attitudes toward retirement, and self-esteem. Further, the pension expectations, retirement planning, earlier retirement attitudes, and identity as a confident worker increased and depression decreased attitudes toward retirement for retirees, while retirement planning, earlier retirement attitudes, and self-esteem improved attitudes toward retirement for those who continued to work.
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