Life Satisfaction and Depression among Retired Black Persons

Abstract

Correlates of life satisfaction of 30 elderly black persons were studied by means of a three-session, phase-focused (pre-retirement, immediate post-retirement, and current) interview that included the Ecosystem Activity Record (EAR) and the Depression Adjective Check List (DACL) administered to 23 women and 7 men whose ages ranged from 52 to 97 yr. Findings over the three phases were (1) an over-all decrease in activities but an increase in time spent with family and home and an increase in participation in church or religiously oriented functions, (2) an over-all pattern of relatively high life satisfaction, and (3) relatively low levels of depressive mood. Relationships among demographic variables also were noted.

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