Changing images of self : the efficacy of retirement preparation programmes for women

Facing retirement can be a stressful experience for sonne older adults. A cognitive-behavioural intervention was designed to help older wonnen cope with retirement anxiety, specifically targeting positive images of self in the future, described by Markus and Nurius (1986) as possible selves. Sixty-one preretirement women ranging in age from 49 to 71 (/W = 59.9) were randomly assigned to either a targeted-change group, a structured-discussion group, or a wait-list control group. The targeted-change group and the structured-discussion group met for 2 hours a week for 8 weeks. A modified state form of the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983), the Short form of the Multiscore Depression Inventory (Berndt, 1986), the Retirement Self-efficacy questionnaire (Poser & Engels, 1983), and a measure of possible selves were administered pre- and post-treatment, with a 3-month follow-up. Following the post-test, participants in the wait-list were assigned to one of the retirement seminars. It was predicted that from pre- to post-test participants in the targeted-change group would show a greater change in the measures than participants in the structured-discussion groups who would in turn, show a greater change than participants in the wait-list. The predictions were tested using planned orthogonal univariate tests. Retirement self-efficacy and positive possible selves increased more for participants in the targeted-change group and structured-discussion groups than for participants in the wait-list from pre-test to post-test. In addition, positive possible selves increased more for participants in the targeted-change than for participants in the structureddiscussion group from pre-test to the average of post-test and follow-up. It was concluded that the interventions were effective in changing how participants saw themselves in the future. Conclusions with regard to treatment efficacy, however, were restricted by observed change in the wait-list group on the anxiety measure following the initial interview, The results are discussed in terms of non-specific treatment effects, along with issues relating to research on possible selves, and implications for retirement programmes.Education, Faculty ofEducational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department ofGraduat