Attitudes towards aging and older people's intentions to continue working: a Taiwanese study

The aim of this research is to examine attitudinal correlates of older adults' (aged 60 and above) intentions to continue working in older age.

Structured questionnaires combined with home interviews were used to collect data from a sample of community older people (n=289) in Taiwan.

The study found that positive attitudes towards aging held by older people themselves and perceived subjective norm were related to stronger intentions to continue working in older age, as predicted by the Theory of Reasoned Action, in addition, more positive daily personal experiences with non‐older people enhanced intentions to continue working in older age through fostering more positive attitudes towards aging, as predicted by the contact hypothesis. Finally effects of some known demographic correlates of aging and work were also demonstrated in the structural model, namely, age, sex, current employment status, and personal health were all associated with intentions to continue working in older age.

This is the first study in Taiwan testing hypotheses derived from well‐established social psychological theoretical models explaining links between attitudes and behavioral intentions of working in older age with a non‐Western (Chinese) sample. The results highlight the importance and urgency of more concerted research to inform public and organizational policies to facilitate continued employment and better management of careers of older adults in an aging developing society.