Consideration of selected social theories of aging as evidenced by patterns of adjustment to retirement among professional football players

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the characteristic patterns of adjustment to retirement among professional football players supported one or more of three current social theories of aging. Data for the study were derived primarily from a structured interview which incorporated questions representative of disengagement theory, identity crisis theory, and activity theory, and questions regarding the individual's professional career in general. Additional data were obtained from three standardized scales given as pencil-paper tests which assessed life satisfaction, morale, and self-esteem. In order to provide an overview of the sample, a written questionnaire was designed to elicit biographical information on each subject. During May and June of 1980, interviews were conducted with five retired professional football players. Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale (1965), the Life Satisfaction Index B (Neugarten, Havighurst, and Tobin, 1961) and The Revised Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (Lawton, 1975) were administered to each subject following the interview session. The biographical questionnaire was given prior to each interview