Needs Assessment Regarding "Mental Well-being-enhancing" Programs for Soon-to-be and (Recently) Retired Individuals

NCT07630285 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: ONZ-2026-0137
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to improve understanding of the needs and well-being of individuals during the transition to retirement. The researchers seek to explore which activities and forms of support are perceived as helpful, which are already known or used, and which needs may currently remain unmet. For the purpose of this study, "nearly or recently retired individuals" refers to people who are expected to retire within the next two years or who have retired within the past five years. By examining participants' experiences and perceived needs during this transition period, the researchers aim to identify both existing strengths and potential gaps in the support currently available. Participants are invited to complete an online one-time questionnaire (10-15 minutes). The questionnaire includes questions about experiences related to the transition to retirement, awareness and use of activities or support initiatives, perceived strengths and limitations of these initiatives, and factors that may facilitate or hinder participation. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of recommendations to strengthen the support and resources available for (nearly) retired individuals in Flanders (Belgium).

Conditions

Retirement

Keywords

needs assessment; retirement; well-being

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Background information

  Personal information (self-developed questionnaire): age, gender identity, cultural background, education level, financial situation (strained to comfortable), type of municipality (rural to large city).

  Baseline. Completing the questionnaire will take about 10-15 minutes

• Background information: transition to retirement and retirement status

  Questions on retirement status and transition (self-developed): current retirement status (yes/no and duration); work related stress before retirement (5 Likert scale questions); transition (unvoluntary/voluntary, early retirement, panned/unplanned); outlook on retirement (positive to negative)

  Baseline. Completing the questionnaire will take about 10-15 minutes.

• Experience with transition to retirement

  self-developed questionnaire based on Floyd et al., 1992 and Wells et al., 2006: rating impact of 21 aspects on their transition to retirement (5-point Likert scale; no impact to very strong impact); emotional impact of retirement

  Baseline. Completing the questionnaire will take about 10-15 minutes

• Experience with retirement: language, framing and identity

  self-developed questionnaire: preferred terminology (senior, elderly, retired,...); outlook on retirement (statements to be rated on 5-point Likert scale - totally disagree to totally agree)

  Baseline. Completing the questionnaire will take about 10-15 minutes

• Experienced needs

  self-developped questionnaire: social netwerk (very broad social netwerk to feeling isolated); 9 domains to be rated on whether they needed support (needed and received, needed but did not receive, not needed);

  Baseline. Completing the questionnaire will take about 10-15 minutes

• Knowledge and use of existing support and resources

  self-developed questionnaire: indicating to what degree (5-point Likert scale) they know, have used or would use a list of existing support resources (11 items). Open question for alternatives; framing: would they use these initiatives if directed at 'seniors' or 'elderly'; barriers to using existing resources (to be chosen from a list of 12 +14 +16 items or 'other'); facilitators to using existing resources (to be chosen from a list of 11 items or 'other'); preferences in activities or resources (format, to be chosen from a list of 7 items); to what degree do they find 3 new types of help appealing

  Baseline. Completing the questionnaire will take about 10-15 minutes

• Communication and implementation

  self-developed questionnaire: through whom would they like to find out about activities or resources (7 options + 'other'); through which channels would they like to find out about activities or resources (7 options + 'other'); at what time of their transition to retirement would they like to find out about activities or resources (9 options)

  Baseline. Completing the questionnaire will take about 10-15 minutes

Interventions

No intervention (observational study) OTHER

No intervention (observational study)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants are adults who are "nearly or recently retired individuals". This refers to people who are expected to retire within the next two years or who have retired within the past five years.

You may qualify if:

• Aged 18 years or older
• Being within a period ranging from two years prior to retirement up to five years after retirement
• Having access to the internet
• Having sufficient proficiency in the Dutch language

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Ghent: lead

Study Sites (1)

Flemish Centre of Expertise in Suicide Prevention, Ghent University

Ghent, Belgium

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Wells, Y., deVaus, D., Kendig, H., Quine, S., Petralia, W., & Carlton, V. (2006). Healthy retirement project incorporating healthy retirement project (1997-1999) health and well-being in retirement (2000-2002). Lincoln Gerontology Centre: La Trobe University.

  BACKGROUND

• Floyd FJ, Haynes SN, Doll ER, Winemiller D, Lemsky C, Burgy TM, Werle M, Heilman N. Assessing retirement satisfaction and perceptions of retirement experiences. Psychol Aging. 1992 Dec;7(4):609-21. doi: 10.1037//0882-7974.7.4.609.

  PMID: 1466830 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Observation

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Methods; Investigative Techniques

Study Officials

• Gwendolyn Portzky

  Flemish Centre of Expertise in Suicide Prevention (Ghent University)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Eva De Jaegere, PhD

CONTACT

+32 (0)9 332.07.75; eva.dejaegere@ugent.be

Ella Ballière, MSc

CONTACT

ella.balliere@ugent.be

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 1, 2026
• First Posted: June 5, 2026
• Study Start: May 26, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2026
• Last Updated: June 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BE (1)