Effects of Pre – Retirement Anxiety on Psychological Well Being among Civil Servants in Kenya: A Case of Kenya Accreditation Service in Nairobi, Kenya
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Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences
Abstract
With the global population living longer than any other time in history, many people will experience retirement, which is a period when one is separated from their everyday work. The need for this study became even more pressing with the problem statement revealing that there exists a significant gap in research available on preretirement anxiety globally and even much less is available in these parts of the world and especially among those serving in the Civil Service. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of preretirement anxiety on psychological wellbeing of civil servants at Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS) in Kenya. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of retirement anxiety, factors that cause preretirement anxiety, the severity of preretirement anxiety, as well as the relationship between preretirement anxiety and psychological wellbeing of civil servants at KENAS. This research's findings are expected to benefit employers, those in charge of policy formulation, and employees themselves. This study was anchored on two major theories, the Continuity theory of aging and the Stimulus based stress theory. This study adopted descriptive research design. The target population for this study was the seventy-seven (77) employees who work at the KENAS. The sample size of the research was the entire population, since the population size is low, this means the researcher adopted the census technique in data collection. The researcher collected all the necessary data through a structured questionnaire and the feedback analyzed using SPSS while adopting a quantitative approach. The findings revealed a moderate to high prevalence of preretirement anxiety among the respondents. The severity of preretirement anxiety varied, with the desire to retire early having the highest mean score. Financial concerns ranked second, with over 80% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing to items related to financial stability post-retirement. Financial stability emerged as the most significant factor leading to retirement anxiety, with 69.2% of respondents indicating it largely contributes to this anxiety. The study found a weak negative correlation between preretirement anxiety and psychological wellbeing (r = -0.226, p = 0.071), although this relationship was not statistically significant. The study concluded that preretirement anxiety is prevalent among civil servants at KENAS, with financial stability being the most significant concern. The severity of anxiety varies across different aspects of retirement, with a strong desire to retire early coexisting with significant worries about post-retirement life, particularly regarding financial security and health. The study recommended that KENAS should implement comprehensive financial planning programs, develop health and wellness initiatives focused on maintaining physical and mental health, and create mentorship or support group programs to address fears of the unknown.
Description
MASTER OF ARTS in Counselling Psychology
Keywords
Global population, Retirement, Civil Service., Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS)
Citation
Muchiri, E. (2024). Effects of Pre – Retirement Anxiety on Psychological Well Being among Civil Servants in Kenya: A Case of Kenya Accreditation Service in Nairobi, Kenya. Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences.