The purpose of this study is to collect, organize, and present information pertaining to the development of teacher retirement systems in the United States, with special emphasis upon the benefits and services such systems can render to the thousands and thousands of teachers who have given their lives to the cause of teaching the youth of America.

The primary focus of this dissertation is an empirical investigation of three approaches to the measurement of longitudinal change. For the present study, difference scores, residual change scores, and percentage gain scores are compared to determine if their use results in similar findings when the relationships between three resource areas (health, social, and financial) and subjective well-being are analyzed. The propositions which are tested were derived from current aging theories. Meta-analysis procedures were employed to synthesize past research findings in gerontology. The data which were analyzed are those of the Longitudinal Retirement History Study (LRHS), a research project sponsored by the Social Security Administration. The sample consists of 8922 continuers who participated in the 1969, 1971, and 1973 waves of data collection. Findings from the meta-analysis suggest that the correlation coefficients calculated from the LRHS data on the relationship between subjecive well-being and the areas of health resources and social resources are similar to those of other aging studies. The relationship between measures of financial resources and subjective well-being is stronger for the LRHS respondents than that reported in other aging studies. The results on the analysis of longitudinal change indicate that change in health resources and in financial resources are significant predictors of subjective well-being at a later-point-in-time and of change in subjective well-being. For the present study, change in social resources contributes little to the regression equations. The three selected approaches to the measurement of change rank individuals similarly on the construct of change. However, the use of difference scores, residual change scores, and percentage gain scores does not always result in similar findings when multivariate procedures are used. Residual change scores appear to possess a number of advantages. They tend, however, to be strongly related to the time 2 scores from which they are derived, a phenomenon not emphasized in the measurement of change literature. Improving the reliability of measures, allowing adequate time for change to occur, and using sample sizes which are large are suggested to maximize the possibility of obtaining correlation coeffecients based on change scores which are large and stable.

The primary purpose of this study was to consider the extent to which the intent to retire early before age 65) is influenced by organizational commitment, job satisfaction, self-perception of faculty vitality, department head’s perception of faculty vitality, retirement salary, age and academic rank. A survey was administered to all male faculty (N=309) between 50 and 60 years of age and to the department heads of the respondents at a comprehensive research university. Complete data sets were received from 48% of the respondents (N=147). Intent to retire early was assessed by one open ended question. The Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (Mowday, Steers, & Porter, 1979) was used to assess organizational commitment while the Specific Satisfactions scale (Hackman & Oldham, 1975) measured over-all job satisfaction. Self-perception of faculty vitality and department head’s perception of faculty vitality were measured with a seven point Likert scale to determine perceived level of performance as compared to departmental colleagues in research, teaching, and service. Retirement salary (the percentage of final salary available as a retirement benefit), age, and academic rank were provided by administrative offices on campus. The variables were arranged in a fully recursive path model. Intent to retire early was significantly influenced by organizational commitment, retirement salary and self-perception of faculty vitality. Higher salaries and greater vitality led to a later intended age of retirement, while greater organizational commitment led to early retirement. Job satisfaction had a significant direct effect on organizational commitment. Both self-perception of faculty vitality and department head’s perception of faculty vitality had significant direct effects on job satisfaction. Self-perception of faculty vitality was significantly influenced by the department head’s perception of faculty vitality. Department head’s perception of faculty vitality was influenced significantly by the rank of the faculty. Results are discussed in terms of the policies that universities might implement to influence faculty to retire at a later age. These suggestions may provide alternative to the projected imbalance of faculty supply and demand. Recommendations for future research are discussed. / Ph. D.

Our understanding of and interest in how retirement impacts the lives of individuals have grown over the past 20 years. Studies to date have ranged from small, convenience samples composed primarily of men to large, national longitudinal samples of men and women from different professional and socioeconomic backgrounds. There is consensus in the literature that older adults generally function better with a partner; however, gaps remain. We know little about the impact of retirement beyond the individual, although research in other areas on couples has produced evidence of crossover and contagion effects relative to depression and other outcomes, including absenteeism, job stress and positive spillover effects. A major objective of this research was to offer a more holistic perspective of the factors which contribute to retirement adjustment among using dyadic data. A cross-sectional research design was used. The final sample included 183 couples. Structural equation modeling identified predictors of retirement adjustment and well-being in couples. Husbands' and wives' retirement adjustment were found to be highly intercorrelated, but, differences in predictors were found between husbands and wives and their adjustment to retirement. Men were more adversely affected by a forced retirement, and wives had lower levels of well-being than husbands. A forced retirement was not a predictor of retirement adjustment for wives. The relationship between a wife's forced retirement and a husband's well-being was mediated by husband's retirement adjustment. Wives' and husbands' well-being was predicted by health problems. Other positive predictors of retirement adjustment and well-being for wives included maintenance of living standards, low levels of boredom and high levels of social support and leisure activity. These variables also predicted adjustment for husbands. In addition, three other predictors of husbands ' retirement adjustment were found, including: a fully retired work status, higher household income, and retirement plans that remained unaltered. These findings can inform the mental health and counseling practices of professionals serving older adults. It is hoped that this research serves as a basis from which future research may generate ideas and identify other instances of partner and actor effects in retirement adjustment and well-being in older couples.

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The problem of this study is to compare the retirement benefits under the federal Social Security System, as proposed in House Bill 6000, the retirement benefits under the Texas Teachers Retirement System, and the retirement annuities of private insurance companies. Further, the study will compare the survivors benefits under the proposed Social Security amendment and under the Texas Teacher Retirement System. Last, the study will compare the general nature and principles of the proposed Social Security amendment with those of the Texas Teacher Retirement System.

Thesis. 1979. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 287-293. / Ph.D.