International Journal of Caring Sciences September-December 2017 Volume 10 | Issue 3| Page 1402 www.internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org Original Article Mediatory Role of Social Support on Psychological Antecedents of Retirement Satisfaction among Police Retirees in Nigeria Omonigho Simon Umukoro, PhD Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Grace Anuoluwapo Adejuwon, PhD Professor of Developmental Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Correspondence: Omonigho Simon Umukoro Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria P.O. Box, 22400, U.I. Post Office, Ibadan University of Ibadan, Nigeria E-mail: simon.umukoro@yahoo.com Abstract Poor remuneration packages, job hazards and a cycle of regular official transfers, sometimes leave members of the Nigerian police with physical/psychological challenges, as well as little or no time for social activities and enduring affiliations for retirement life. This study therefore examined exogenous determinants of retirement satisfaction among police retirees. An ex post facto design was adopted using cross-sectional survey. A validated instrument was used to obtain data from a representative sample of 230 members of the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON), Oyo State Chapter. Multiple regression analyses were used to analyze hypotheses of the study. Results showed that leisure satisfaction (β=.152; p<.05), quality of health (β=.168; p<.05) and career success (β=.210; p<.01) predicted retirement satisfaction among police retirees in Ibadan. Further results showed that social support partially mediated the influence of health quality (β 1 =.168 * , β 2 =.112 * ) and career success (β 1 =.210 ** , β 2 =.189 * ) on retirement satisfaction, while it fully mediated the influence of leisure satisfaction (β 1 =.146 * , β 2 =.006) on retirement satisfaction among police retirees. Recommendations were proffered based on the study findings. Key words: Retirement Satisfaction, Health Quality, Leisure Satisfaction, Career Success, Social Support Introduction Retirement satisfaction has a long research history in social gerontology. Retirement satisfaction is defined as the extent to which a person is satisfied with the activities that constitute everyday life after retirement (Reitzes & Mutran, 2004). Every individual that retires from the private or public workforce experiences subjective levels in the quality of retirement satisfaction. The ageing of the population is therefore rapidly becoming a major social challenge that will, within this millennium demand vast resources to be directed towards the support, care and treatment of the elderly and the aged (Asonibare, 2008). Therefore, retirement issues need to be critically addressed and focused upon as part of the efforts to meet these demands (Abdulrazaq, 2005). As Ogunbameru and Bamiwuye (2004) point out, retirement is still generally viewed as a rather negative event. It can represent a separation not only from the job, but from friends, colleagues, accustomed life patterns, accustomed physical environments, and even from habitual uses of time. For some, retirement additionally means a separation from the very things that give meaning and identity to their lives. Thus, many researchers such as Chen (2001) and Chamberlain (1992) see a link between advancing age and decreased subjective well-being because of the social, physical, and psychological losses that accompany the transition to old age. In other words, retirement could be associated with decreased satisfaction with life, as it is often accompanied with decreased physical strength, limited financial income,