Beyond retirement: the influence of work and resilience on successful aging under stress

Psicol Reflex Crit. 2026 Jul 21. doi: 10.1186/s41155-026-00406-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Work status in later life has been linked to psychological resilience, social engagement, and overall well-being, all of which may shape how individuals experience and manage stress as they ageObjective This study examined the moderating effects of resilience and work status on the relationship between perceived stress and successful aging among older adults.Methods Participants were N = 538 brazilian community-dwelling older adults (≥ 60 years) of both sexes. Measures included a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale (independent variable), and the Successful Aging Scale (dependent variable). Resilience and current work status (employed vs. not employed) were tested as moderators using a cross-sectional, quantitative design. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, followed by a moderated moderation analysis. Results The three-way interaction among perceived stress, resilience, and work status was statistically significant (p < .05). Among non-working older adults, perceived stress was negatively associated with successful aging at all levels of resilience, with this association being attenuated at higher levels of resilience. In contrast, among working older adults, perceived stress was not significantly associated with successful aging at any level of resilience.Conclusion Perceived stress is negatively associated with successful aging, moderated by resilience and work status. Resilience buffered this association among non-working older adults, whereas no significant association was observed among those employed. These findings suggest that employment may alter stress processes and highlight the importance of supporting adaptive transitions into retirement and access to psychosocial resources.

PMID:42479275 | DOI:10.1186/s41155-026-00406-0