Mental health trajectories surrounding retirement: A longitudinal perspective

While some recent studies have supported a prevailing opinion that retirement may affect mental health, few studies have covered an entire pre- to post-retirement process, as well as distinguishing both short-term and long-term effect of retirement. The aim of this study was to understand the mental health trajectories before, during, and after retirement, with a special focus on variations across income levels. We analysed data from 1538 participants spanning 17 waves of the Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel and conducted a series of piecewise growth curve models to identify the best-representative patterns for three income groups. Additionally, we assessed whether baseline mental health, physical and mental job demands, and demographic factors contribute to the association between retirement and mental health. Results suggested that a three-piece model best described high-income groups, while a two-piece model was the best fit for middle- and low- income group. People exhibited an overall improvement in mental health post-retirement, but with significant individual differences. Physical job demands influenced mental health outcomes in the middle-income group, and this association persisted after adjusting for demographic variables. Within the low-income group, females and those who were not married exhibited significantly poorer mental health. Within the high-income group, individuals who retired later showed a slower improvement in mental health during the retirement year. These distinct, income-related trajectories of mental health may offer insight into the multifaceted adjustment processes linked to retirement and inform policy interventions. • Mental health surrounding retirement contains multiple developmental phases. • People exhibit improvements in mental health after retirement, with those in higher income group showing better mental health. • Physical job demands affected mental health in the middle-income group, and this association persisted after adjusting for demographic variables. • Females and those who were not married in low-income group exhibited significantly poorer mental health throughout retirement. • The results contribute to understanding income-related disparities in mental health and may guide the development of targeted policy interventions.