Retirement and women’s identity

Abstract

Women’s retirement experience in the context of continuous life cycle conception was studied using the narrative approach. 28 women aged 55–64 were interviewed. The collected data allow to elucidate the links between life history, importance of retirement age achievement and identity problems. The sample was divided into 2 groups: professional women and nonprofessional women. This division helped to determine common issues in women’s experience after retirement as well as intergroup distinctions in identity due to continuous /discontinuous life cycle. The study showed that identity remained an important coping-mechanism in the face of life disappointments and troubles. The ways of supporting identity in women with different labor activity experience and life history were identified.