Disengagement Theory and Satisfaction

Theories of Aging

Older adulthood stage is characterized by significant changes in functional and social status. There are various theories that have been developed to enhance understanding of this stage of human development. One of these theories is Disengagement Theory, which was developed in the 1950s by Cumming and Henry. This theory emphasizes that older adults should not be discouraged from following their predisposition to greater inactivity and solitude. As a result, this theory opposes the idea of keeping older people busy with external things in effort to run away from the greater inactivity and solitude that comes with this stage of human development. Saha & Ashikuzzaman (2021) examines the issue of satisfaction in older adulthood in relation to the Disengagement Theory. These researchers sought to examine whether activity or disengagement brings satisfaction during this stage of human development. They conducted the study on grounds that older adults are faced with new realities that force them to mutually withdraw or disengage from others in the social system.

In relation to Disengagement Theory, the study found that older adults are forcefully withdrawn by society as they are totally unwilling to accept it. As part of the forced withdrawal, older people reduce the number of roles they held in their earlier stages of life. Since the withdrawal is forceful, most older adults would still like to be engaged instead of retire. However, disengagement or withdrawal from earlier activities enhances the quality of life and satisfaction in older adults. Based on the findings of this study, some of the strengths of the Disengagement Theory include its demonstration of what improves the quality of life and satisfaction of older adults. However, the theory is based on the assumption that all older adults want to disengage or withdraw from earlier activities. This assumption results in the forceful withdrawal of these people, which is one of the limitations of the theory.