This study examined for relationships between Crisis Resolution and the demographic variables of age, educational background, religion and nature of retirement (voluntary or involuntary) on measures of life-satisfaction, death anxiety, and identification with the occupational role using a sample of male retirees. The conceptual framework of the study was the theory of Erik Erikson regarding the effects of the psychosocial crisis of old age (integrity versus despair) and the effects of crisis resolution on older people's sense of well being.
All retirees (N=90) were at least 60 years of age or older and were drawn from three local agencies serving older people. Findings of the study supported Erikson's notion that life-satisfaction increases and death anxiety decreases for people who have successfully resolved the psychosocial crisis of old age.
In addition, the results of the study indicated that demographic factors are associated with variance on measures of life satisfaction and death anxiety but not on a measure of identification with the occupational role. Moreover, crisis resolution was not found to be related to degree of identification with the occupational role.
This study examined for associations between degree of death anxiety, degree of self-identification with one's occupational role, and life satisfaction in a sample of post-retirement males. These examinations were conducted in relation to the Eriksonian crisis of old age associated with the development of ego integrity (the crisis of integrity versus despair).
Understanding of the research is enhanced by an explication of the Eriksonian developmental model and by a brief review of the retirement process in relation to its possible effects on Erikson's psychosocial crisis of old age, namely the crisis of developing ego integrity versus despair. This information is here presented as background information central to the research problem.
Erik ...