This study aimed to identify the actor and partner effects of health status, marital satisfaction, and self efficacy on retirement preparation in middle aged couples using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model.

Participants were 121 middle aged couples living in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Daegu City, Korea. All measures were self-administered. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 20.0.

1) Wife's self efficacy and marital satisfaction showed direct actor and partner effects on retirement preparation in middle aged couples. Wife's health status showed an indirect actor effect through wife's self efficacy and marital satisfaction on wife's retirement preparation, and showed an indirect partner effect through husband's self efficacy on husband's retirement preparation. 2) Husband's self efficacy and marital satisfaction showed only direct actor effect on retirement preparation. Health status among the husbands showed an indirect actor effect on husband's retirement preparation through their self efficacy and marital satisfaction, and an indirect partner effect through wife's marital satisfaction on wife's retirement preparation. 3) The actor effect size of health status on self efficacy and marital satisfaction was larger among husband's than wife's. Additionally, the partner effect size of health status on self efficacy and marital satisfaction was different between the two groups; however, the actor and partner effect size of self efficacy and marital satisfaction on retirement preparation was the same for husband and wife.

The results of this study indicate that nursing intervention strategies for improving self efficacy and marital satisfaction are strongly needed to enhance retirement preparation of middle aged couples in Korean community.