Exploring the moderating effect of age on the relationships between self-rated health, perceived income adequacy, social networks, and attitudes toward retirement among employees of productive age

Attitudes toward retirement (ATR) are essential for a confident transition into retirement, yet the moderating role of age in ATR predictors remains underexplored. This study examines the relationships between self-rated health (SRH), perceived income adequacy (PIA), social networks (SN), and ATR, focusing on age as a moderator among Malaysian government employees. Data were collected through an online survey using probability cluster sampling from 6,252 employees, representative of gender and age. Binary logistic regression and PROCESS Macro Model 1 analyses revealed that SRH and PIA positively associated with ATR, with those reporting better SRH and higher PIA demonstrating more positive ATR, while SN showed no significant impact. Age moderated the PIA-ATR relationship, demonstrating a stronger link among older employees, but not the SRH-ATR relationship. These findings highlight the importance of tailored retirement preparedness programs that emphasize financial security and health, especially for older employees, to promote positive ATR.