Retirement of Female University Professors: Risk Factors for Adaptation and Implications for Successful Aging

https://doi.org/10.5935/rpot/e26547

Abstract

TThis qualitative study investigated factors that hinder the adaptation of retired female university professors and their implications for successful aging. Twelve retired professors from federal universities in Minas Gerais participated in semi-structured interviews. Content analysis identified eleven empirical categories organized into three interrelated axes: personal, psychosocial, and institutional factors. At the personal level, lack of planning, strong identity centrality in the academic career, health impairment, and financial insecurity stood out. Within the psychosocial axis, ruptures of academic and family ties, loneliness, and difficulties in restructuring daily routines were identified. At the institutional level, experiences of ageism, fragility of retirement preparation programs, and lack of recognition of the academic legacy emerged. Based on life-span theory, the Selection, Optimization and Compensation model, and the resource-based perspective on retirement, the findings indicate that compromised personal, social, and institutional conditions undermine adaptation and well-being. The results highlight the need for policies and psychological practices that foster planned transitions and value academic trajectories.