Older Adult Employment Status and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Bidirectional Analysis

Chia, Jonathan L.;Hartanto, Andree

Abstract

Mixed findings in the literature on the effects of older adult employment on well-being and the reciprocal influence of well-being on employment suggest the need for more careful methodology in teasing out this relationship. Moreover, as previous research has shown that different domains of well-being relate to constructs differently, more nuanced definitions of well-being may be appropriate. The present study examined the longitudinal bidirectional associations of employment and different domains of well-being, controlling for stable within-person variables. The present study sampled older adults from the Midlife Development in the US study at three timepoints on employment status and well-being, specifically psychological, social, and subjective well-being. A Random-Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) approach was employed to determine the longitudinal bidirectional influence of employment and domains of well-being. Results showed that employment status was not associated with various well-being domains at a later time point. Results also showed that greater well-being, specifically in meaningfulness of society and personal growth, was associated with being employed at a later time point.

Journal

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Publication Name

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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ISBN/ISSN

1660-4601

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Publisher

MDPI

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DOI

10.3390/ijerph182312533