Facing retirement can be a stressful experience for sonne older adults. A cognitive-behavioural intervention was designed to help older wonnen cope with retirement anxiety, specifically targeting positive images of self in the future, described by Markus and Nurius (1986) as possible selves. Sixty-one preretirement women ranging in age from 49 to 71 (/W = 59.9) were randomly assigned to either a targeted-change group, a structured-discussion group, or a wait-list control group. The targeted-change group and the structured-discussion group met for 2 hours a week for 8 weeks. A modified state form of the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983), the Short form of the Multiscore Depression Inventory (Berndt, 1986), the Retirement Self-efficacy questionnaire (Poser & Engels, 1983), and a measure of possible selves were administered pre- and post-treatment, with a 3-month follow-up. Following the post-test, participants in the wait-list were assigned to one of the retirement seminars. It was predicted that from pre- to post-test participants in the targeted-change group would show a greater change in the measures than participants in the structured-discussion groups who would in turn, show a greater change than participants in the wait-list. The predictions were tested using planned orthogonal univariate tests. Retirement self-efficacy and positive possible selves increased more for participants in the targeted-change group and structured-discussion groups than for participants in the wait-list from pre-test to post-test. In addition, positive possible selves increased more for participants in the targeted-change than for participants in the structureddiscussion group from pre-test to the average of post-test and follow-up. It was concluded that the interventions were effective in changing how participants saw themselves in the future. Conclusions with regard to treatment efficacy, however, were restricted by observed change in the wait-list group on the anxiety measure following the initial interview, The results are discussed in terms of non-specific treatment effects, along with issues relating to research on possible selves, and implications for retirement programmes.

Facing retirement can be a stressful experience for sonne older adults. A cognitive-behavioural intervention was designed to help older wonnen cope with retirement anxiety, specifically targeting positive images of self in the future, described by Markus and Nurius (1986) as possible selves. Sixty-one preretirement women ranging in age from 49 to 71 (/W = 59.9) were randomly assigned to either a targeted-change group, a structured-discussion group, or a wait-list control group. The targeted-change group and the structured-discussion group met for 2 hours a week for 8 weeks. A modified state form of the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983), the Short form of the Multiscore Depression Inventory (Berndt, 1986), the Retirement Self-efficacy questionnaire (Poser & Engels, 1983), and a measure of possible selves were administered pre- and post-treatment, with a 3-month follow-up. Following the post-test, participants in the wait-list were assigned to one of the retirement seminars. It was predicted that from pre- to post-test participants in the targeted-change group would show a greater change in the measures than participants in the structured-discussion groups who would in turn, show a greater change than participants in the wait-list. The predictions were tested using planned orthogonal univariate tests. Retirement self-efficacy and positive possible selves increased more for participants in the targeted-change group and structured-discussion groups than for participants in the wait-list from pre-test to post-test. In addition, positive possible selves increased more for participants in the targeted-change than for participants in the structureddiscussion group from pre-test to the average of post-test and follow-up. It was concluded that the interventions were effective in changing how participants saw themselves in the future. Conclusions with regard to treatment efficacy, however, were restricted by observed change in the wait-list group on the anxiety measure following the initial interview, The results are discussed in terms of non-specific treatment effects, along with issues relating to research on possible selves, and implications for retirement programmes. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

Gendered poverty among the elderly is a statistical fact. Previous studies have identified inequitable treatment of women and insufficient income for unattached elderly women among the most serious shortcomings of the retirement income system. Despite pension reform over the past decade, the gender gap has widened for elderly Canadians whose incomes fall below the poverty line. This thesis seeks to understand the relationship between the laws that govern Canada's retirement income system and the over-representation of elderly women among Canada's poor, and to explore why the retirement income system continues to deliver benefits in a manner that, though expressed in gender neutral language, is systemically unfair to women. The benefits of Canada's retirement income system may be accessed through workforce participation and, in a more limited way, through a spousal relationship. Familial ideology is used as the theoretical framework to examine the role of the laws that govern access to benefits in reinforcing and perpetuating assumptions about women that undermine their economic autonomy. This examination reveals that gendered economic inequality is embedded within Canada's retirement income system because it accepts the social and economic construction implicit in familial ideology of women as economically subordinate to, and dependent upon, men. The relationship between gender inequality and the two modes of delivery of retirement income benefits, during retirement as pension benefits and prior to retirement as tax subsidies that enhance taxpayers' opportunities to accumulate retirement savings, is also explored. A tax expenditure analysis exposes the bias against the economically disadvantaged (mostly women) inherent in delivering benefits as tax subsidies. Additionally, familial, public/private and restructuring ideologies are used as methodological tools to interrogate the reform process which, although ignoring gender issues, paradoxically deepened and compounded the systemic inequalities for women that existed prior to reform. The thesis concludes by offering suggestions for developing a progressive agenda for advancing gender equality within the retirement income system. The limitations of legal action as a strategy for implementing this type of agenda are discussed, and political action is designated as the most promising strategy for achieving progressive reform.

Gendered poverty among the elderly is a statistical fact. Previous studies have identified inequitable treatment of women and insufficient income for unattached elderly women among the most serious shortcomings of the retirement income system. Despite pension reform over the past decade, the gender gap has widened for elderly Canadians whose incomes fall below the poverty line. This thesis seeks to understand the relationship between the laws that govern Canada's retirement income system and the over-representation of elderly women among Canada's poor, and to explore why the retirement income system continues to deliver benefits in a manner that, though expressed in gender neutral language, is systemically unfair to women. The benefits of Canada's retirement income system may be accessed through workforce participation and, in a more limited way, through a spousal relationship. Familial ideology is used as the theoretical framework to examine the role of the laws that govern access to benefits in reinforcing and perpetuating assumptions about women that undermine their economic autonomy. This examination reveals that gendered economic inequality is embedded within Canada's retirement income system because it accepts the social and economic construction implicit in familial ideology of women as economically subordinate to, and dependent upon, men. The relationship between gender inequality and the two modes of delivery of retirement income benefits, during retirement as pension benefits and prior to retirement as tax subsidies that enhance taxpayers' opportunities to accumulate retirement savings, is also explored. A tax expenditure analysis exposes the bias against the economically disadvantaged (mostly women) inherent in delivering benefits as tax subsidies. Additionally, familial, public/private and restructuring ideologies are used as methodological tools to interrogate the reform process which, although ignoring gender issues, paradoxically deepened and compounded the systemic inequalities for women that existed prior to reform. The thesis concludes by offering suggestions for developing a progressive agenda for advancing gender equality within the retirement income system. The limitations of legal action as a strategy for implementing this type of agenda are discussed, and political action is designated as the most promising strategy for achieving progressive reform. / Law, Peter A. Allard School of / Graduate