Continuity and discontinuity in marital life after retirement: Life orientations, gender role ideology, intimacy, and satisfaction

The study examines differences in life orientations, gender role ideology, marital satisfaction, and marital intimacy between a sample of Israeli husb ands on the verge of retirement (n = 137) and those who have already retire d (n = 211). Results show that the retirees ascribe greater importance to t he home and family, whereas the pre-retired husbands give priority to the i nstrumental aspects of their life. The retired group tended to hold more tr aditional views about gender roles, while males with working wives (regardl ess of their own employment status) were found to have more liberal attitud es. Pensioners also tended to report greater satisfaction with marital life . No significant differences were found in regard to marital intimacy; in b oth groups, the dominant type of intimacy was reciprocity. Except in regard to gender role ideology, no differences were found between husbands of wor king women and those whose wives did not work.