The Relation of Flow Experience to Retirement Satisfaction Across Cultures: Comparison Between the East and the American Men

Author : Yeojin Rho

Abstract : This study examined the relationship between flow experience at work and retirement satisfaction, as well as cultural differences in this relationship across American and East Asian samples. Participants included 187 male retirees who had been retired for at least two years. Results indicated that, in the American sample, flow experience at work was a significant direct predictor of retirement satisfaction, with no evidence of mediation by flow experience in non-work activities prior to retirement. In contrast, in the East Asian sample, flow experience in non-work activities significantly mediated the relationship between flow experience at work and retirement satisfaction. These findings highlight the role of cultural context in shaping the pathways through which pre-retirement experiences influence post-retirement well-being. Implications for retirement planning and cross-cultural research on aging are discussed

Keywords : retirement satisfaction, flow experience, cultural differences, well-being, aging, and cross-cultural psychology.

Conference Name : International Conference on Cross-cultural Psychiatry, Psychology and Mental Health (ICCCPPMH-26)

Conference Place : Tokyo, Japan

Conference Date : 12th Jun 2026