Pre-Retirement Attitude of Nigerian Police Personnel and its Psychosocial Predictors

Abstract

Police personnel attitudes represent one of the key areas for safeguarding the internal security of any country. Police with positive attitude towards retirement have better preparation and looked favourably toward retirement. However, factors such as perceived wellness, financial security, employability; social support and house ownership affecting this attitude have been less attended to in literature. This study thus explored the influence of psychosocial variables on attitude towards retirement among police personnel close to retirement. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was carried out among a consecutively sampled two hundred and seven (207) police personnel close to retirement at police headquarters in Lagos. The data collected were analysed with multiple regression analysis, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) analysis and t-test for independent measures at p ≤ 0.05. Results demonstrated that police personnel perceived dispositional employability, house ownership, financial security, social support, perceived wellness and having less dependents significantly predicted favourable disposition towards retirement. Psycho-social resources available to police personnel close to retirement can hinder or promote negative or positive career transition, wellness and pre-retirement mind-set among police officers.