Previous work and meaning in life post-retirement: a reminiscence perspective.

OBJECTIVES: To understand how different reminiscence functions and previously meaningful work predicted meaning in life in retired adults. METHOD: We surveyed 240 retired adults recruited from ResearchMatch and had them complete questionnaires assessing their reminiscence functions, their meaning in life, and whether they perceived their previous work as meaningful. We tested a structural model that positioned meaningful work as a mediator of the relation between reminiscence functions and meaning in life and an alternative model that positioned reminiscence functions as mediators of the relation between meaningful work and meaning in life. RESULTS: After comparing fit, we retained the structural model. Findings indicated that participants who reminisced for the sake of consolidating their identities (identity) reported their previous work as more meaningful, but those that reminisced for the sake of maintaining negative emotions (bitterness revival) reported their previous work as less meaningful. In turn, participants who perceived their previous work as more meaningful reported greater meaning in life. Identity and bitterness revival reminiscence also related to meaning in life via meaningful work. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that retired adults' reminiscence functions and their perceptions of their previous employment are important to understanding retired adults' ongoing construction of meaning in their lives.

Are work well-being variables distinct? A bifactor model of fulfilling work.

The strengths-based inclusive theory of work and psychology of working theory propose that fulfilling work is a key outcome of the vocational intervention. Scholars have further argued that fulfilling work is the holistic experience of well-being in the workplace and can be assessed with meaningful work, work engagement, workplace positive emotions, and job satisfaction. This theoretical perspective suggests a bifactor model would best explain the relations among these variables, but this claim remains untested. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether a bifactor model best explained the relations among the four components of fulfilling work, in comparison to other plausible models. We also examined the concurrent and convergent validity of the fulfilling work construct, using other well-being variables, symptoms of distress, and contextual factor variables drawn from vocational theories. Supporting hypotheses, we found that a bifactor model best fit the data. We also found that fulfilling work positively related to eudaimonic work well-being, hedonic work well-being, and life satisfaction and negatively related to symptoms of distress. Finally, fulfilling work positively related to income and subjective social class. These findings offer conceptual and statistical implications of fulfilling work for research, counseling, organizations, and social advocacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).