Adjustment processes in bridge employment: where we are and where we need to go

Abstract

While a relatively large literature outlines adjustment processes for retirees in general, very little empirical and theoretical attention has focused on the psychological adjustment process for bridge employees. That is to say, few studies have attempted to understand the psychological mechanisms that predict adjustment to bridge employment, and there is scant theory to direct such efforts. The present chapter outlines and defines adjustment for bridge employees from life-course, life-span developmental, and self-regulation perspectives. The role of both intrapersonal and external resources and demands on the bridge employment adjustment process are discussed. A model of adjustment to bridge employment is offered that incorporates the idea of contextual resources-demands fit, and suggests a process by which the application of intrapersonal resources is enhanced via an agentic self-efficacy cycle. Finally, future directions for research and are discussed.