Measures of Student Attitudes on Aging

The purposes of the study were to (a) identify student attitudes toward older people according to three measures, (b) determine the relationships among the attitudes as shown by these measures, and (c) identify the relationships between age, gender, frequency of communication with older adults, and life experience with older adults. A total of 125 students completed the study at a university in the United States. The attitude measures used were Kogan's Scale for Attitudes toward Old People, a Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ), and journal entries about beliefs, affects, and experience regarding older people. Results from the three measures were quantified and analyzed for positive and negative attitudes toward older people.     

Using Film and Intergenerational Colearning to Enhance Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Older Adults

This study evaluated whether two evidence-based methods used collaboratively, intergenerational colearning and use of films/documentaries in an educational context, enhanced knowledge levels and attitudes toward older adults in nursing, social work, and other allied profession students. Students participated in a gerontology film festival where they were exposed to two documentary films related to older adults. The films were followed by a discussion led by a panel of persons who had knowledge of the topic and were models of healthy aging. A pretest/posttest design was used to measure aging knowledge and attitudes toward older adults. Additional data consisted of demographics and information on prior older adult-related trainings. Significant increases were found in aging quiz and attitude scores. The combination of exposure to the documentary films and an intergenerational panel consisting of older adults leading a discussion of the films appears to have an immediate positive effect not only on knowledge of aging, but also on attitudes. Combining the two modalities can be done using existing resources that are available cross-nationally at no or little cost.     

Racial differences in attitudes toward aging,aging knowledge,and contact

The present study assessed knowledge of aging, attitudes toward aging, ageism, and contact with older adults in a sample of 271 Non-Hispanic White and African-American undergraduates. Research examining racial differences in knowledge of aging, attitudes toward aging, ageism, and contact with older adults has been sparse. Results for the current study demonstrated a significant correlation between knowledge of aging measured by the Facts on Aging Quiz-Revised (FAQ-R) and attitudes toward aging measured by the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) for Non-Hispanic Whites but not African-Americans. In contrast, correlations between the FAQ-R and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) were significant for both groups. Significant group differences were also noted for the ASD-total score and ASD-Instrumentality subscale as well as for the FSA-total score, Antilocution, and Discrimination subscales. Discussion focuses on the importance of identifying cultural and contextual factors that have been neglected in the “one size fits all” approach to promoting more positive attitudes toward older adults across different racial and ethnic groups.     

An Intergenerational E-mail Pal Project on Attitudes of College Students Toward Older Adults

Intergenerational interactions have demonstrated some success at improving attitudes of college students toward older adults. This quasiexperimental study involved undergraduate college students paired with older adults for a six-week e-mail exchange. Student attitudes toward older adults were measured pre- and posttest with Polizzi's revised version of the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD). Students were assigned to an intervention group (n = 23) or a control group (n = 20). The intervention group demonstrated significant improvement in attitude toward older adults as compared to the control group (F 14.694, p < .05). This educational approach holds promise for using readily accessible technology to connect the generations.     

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions and Behaviors Related to the Aged and to Aging Processes

Aging education is relatively new to the university, and our understanding of the perspectives students bring to aging populations is correspondingly limited. This investigation surveys 546 students at a midsized, Midwestern university to explore students' views toward elders, toward serving elders, and toward the relevance of aging education for various other areas of study. Our results suggest generally favorable attitudes: older students and students with greater contact with aging populations were more positive than their counterparts; gender, GPA, and aging courses taken showed sporadic or no effects on various attitudes. These preliminary findings offer a baseline for future investigations. Our findings suggest that students who have more contact through friendship and volunteer experiences have more positive attitudes toward working with older adults. Additional research is needed to examine if type of gerontological instruction is associated with attitudes toward aging and aging education.     

Assessing positive attitudes toward older and younger adults

Meaningful intergenerational interactions between older and younger adults are rare outside of family relationships. Interventions to increase positive intergenerational interactions are growing, but finding appropriate measures of attitudes toward both younger and older age groups is difficult. Many measures assessing attitudes toward older adults can remind participants of negative stereotypes of aging and are rarely used to assess attitudes toward younger adults. We adapted Pittinsky, Rosenthal, and Montoya’s allophilia measure to assess attitudes toward younger (18–25 years old) and older (over age 65) adults. In the first study, 94 traditional college age and 52 older adults rated older and younger adults. The allophilia measure distinguished between younger and older adults’ attitudes toward each age group. In the second study, we compared the age-related allophilia measures with seven traditional measures of attitudes toward older adults. Forty-seven traditional college age students completed measures. As predicted, correlations between allophilia toward older adults and the traditional semantic differential measures were weak (i.e., r = |0.15|or less), whereas correlations with general attitudes toward older adults were more moderate (r = 0.59 or less). Correlations between allophilia toward younger adults and the traditional measures were primarily non-significant as predicted. The allophilia measure differentiated between the five domains of positive attitudes toward younger and older adults and was not highly correlated with measures of more negative attitudes toward older adults. Results suggest that the allophilia measure can fill a need for a measure of positive attitudes toward older and younger adults.     

COGNITIVE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE AGED OF DENTAL AND MEDICAL STUDENTS

The need for the incorporation of training in geriatrics and gerontology into basic medical and dental education has recently been recognized. Studies that have attempted to measure the attitudes of medical and dental students toward the aged have been extremely limited. The present study, part of a larger study of attitudes and knowledge among 700 health workers, examines the attitudes and knowledge of over 283 dental and medical students at different stages in their professional education, using Rosencranz and McNevin's Aging Semantic Differential and Palmore's Short Quiz on Facts on Aging. No significant deterioration or improvement in attitudes toward the aged was found in the course of medical and dental education. Correlational analysis revealed a complex relationship between knowledge and attitude scores.     

Empathetic Responses and Attitudes about Older Adults: How Experience with the Aging Game Measures Up

This study aimed to assess the impact of pre-professional education on students' knowledge and attitudes about aging, including the option of a simulated learning activity. Using a mixed design, groups of nursing and nutrition students (n = 127) were randomly assigned to experience the Aging Game. Pre- and posttest observations included measures of anxiety, attitude and empathy. In the Aging Game, students played the role of an elderly adult with common physical disabilities during various scenarios and then reflected on the experience. As a result, students became more familiar with what being an older adult felt like, and increased understanding and empathy.     

PARTICIPATION IN A COURSE ON AGING: KNOWLEDGE,ATTITUDES, AND ANXIETY ABOUT AGING IN ONESELF AND OTHERS

Knowledge, anxiety, and attitudes about older adults and one's own aging were assessed in 256 college students. The Facts on Aging Quiz (Palmore, 1988), the Knowledge of Aging and the Elderly Quiz (Kline, Scialfa, Stier, & Babbitt, 1990), the Anxiety about Aging Scale (Lasher & Faulkender, 1993) and the Aging Semantic Differential (Rosencranz & McNevin, 1969) were administered at the end of the semester to students enrolled in an upper level psychology course on aging and students enrolled in an introductory psychology course (who had never had a course on aging). Comparisons of those finishing the psychology of aging course and those never having taken a course on aging revealed significant differences in knowledge of aging and the elderly and attitudes toward the average 70-year-old. Interestingly, the two groups of students did not differ in personal anxiety about aging and attitudes about one's own aging. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to attitudinal judgments of oneself versus others and the differential benefits of education for attitudes and anxiety about other old adults versus attitudes and anxiety about one's own aging.     

Experience,knowledge and attitudes: Are paramedic students prepared to care for older patients?

ABSTRACT

As the population ages, so does the number of older patients encountered by paramedics. It is vital that paramedics are adequately prepared to meet the unique and growing needs of these patients. Experience and education play key roles in the formation of attitudes that impact behavior, and ultimately patient care. The aim of this study was to determine the level of student paramedic experience with knowledge of, and attitudes toward, older adults and to examine the relationship between these factors. This was a cross-sectional study utilizing three paper-based questionnaires; Experience with Older Adults Questionnaire, Australian Facts on Aging Quiz 2 (FAQ2), and Aging Semantic Differential (ASD). Of the 871 paramedic student participants, 79% had an oldest living grandparent 65 years old or above, and 63% had encountered older adults on clinical placement. The mean (SD) score for the FAQ2 was 12.7 (3.0) out of a possible 25, indicating a low level of knowledge about older people. The mean (SD) score for the ASD was 120.3 (17.77), indicating slightly positive attitudes toward older adults. Knowledge (β = ?0.06; p = .058) and experience (β = ?0.06; p = .058) had weak associations with attitudes. Student paramedics have some prior experience with older adults, relatively low knowledge and generally positive attitudes. There is some association between these factors; however, the impact on patient care requires further investigation. Paramedic educators should strive to provide students with broad quality experiences and education that increases awareness and understanding of older people.     

COLLEGE STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES

This study was designed to explore college students attitudes toward residential care settings for older adults. Subjects were 109 female students aged 18 to 71 years (M = 24.8, SD = 9.49) and 22 male students aged 19 to 43 years (M = 23.3, SD = 5.24) enrolled in a Psychology of Aging course at a local state college. Students interviewed older residents of 96 different long-term care facilities and completed a questionnaire that assessed their impressions of the facility and its residents. Students openness to living in long-term care settings and positive and negative statements about the facility visited were the main measures of student attitudes toward such settings. Nursing homes were perceived more negatively than any other type of long-term care setting. Students who had been affected by meeting the needs of an elderly relative were more open to living in residential care settings, as were students who interviewed residents who were satisfied with their lives. Nursing homes elicited the least openness to living in residential care facilities, whereas assisted care and continuing care facilities elicited the most openness. Students who perceived residents as mentally alert made fewer negative statements about the facilities visited.     

Gerontology Content in MSW Curricula and Student Attitudes Toward Older Adults

The unprecedented growth in the nation's older adult population has called attention to the increasing need for geriatric social workers. However, research suggests that social work students hold ageist attitudes that prevent many from pursuing careers in gerontology. The present study sought to identify student perceptions of gerontology content in MSW education and possible correlations with attitudes toward older adults and interest in gerontology. A sample of 252 MSW students participated in classroom surveys. The survey outcomes revealed that gerontology content in MSW curriculum was correlated with positive attitudes toward older adults, but it was not related to increased interest in gerontology.     

Development and validation of the Attitudes toward Education for Older Adults (AEOA) scale

The purpose of this study is to validate a multidimensional measure assessing attitudes toward education for older adults. As the elderly population and the demands of education among older adults have increased, the engagement of social workers in educational settings for older adults has also increased. Therefore, assessing social workers’ attitudes toward education for older adults is critical to better understand the appropriate circumstances for successfully providing and expanding educational programs for older adults. Using a sample of 227 social work students, a multidimensional scale consisting of 38 items was developed by focusing on the three subconstructs of attitudes: cognition, emotion, and behavior. Across various statistical analyses such as the examination of coefficient α and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), this scale consistently demonstrated strong reliability and validity. This new reliable and valid scale may contribute to the quality of educational programs for older adults by providing for social workers and other helping professionals with an opportunity to examine their attitudes toward educational services for older adults.     

Development and validation of ageist myths in a psychotherapy questionnaire (AMPQ): professional ageism among psychology graduate students

ABSTRACT

Ageism is a problem in aging societies. Clinical psychologists and undergraduate psychology students have shown negative attitudes toward older adults. However, no speci?c measure against ageist myths in the psychotherapeutic context is available. This study aims to develop and present the psychometric properties of the Ageist Myths about Psychotherapy Questionnaire (AMPQ).

These issues were examined by surveying 222 psychology graduates at higher education institutions about their attitudes and behaviors concerning psychotherapy with older adults, negative stereotypes toward aging, and attitudes toward dementia.

Using principal components analysis, 10 items were retained and one factor was obtained with an acceptable reliability index. Signi?cant associations were found between the AMPQ and negative stereotypes toward aging, and attitudes toward dementia.

Results revealed that universities and colleges with psychology programs have an ageist bias. Implications for college formation in aging, and older adults with mental health problems, are discussed and presented.     

HEALTH CARE EDUCATORS’ KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES REGARDING SEXUALITY IN THE AGED

Health care providers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward sexuality in older adults may have an impact on the overall quality of care they provide to older clients. One place to begin improving the knowledge and attitudes of health care professionals may be health care educators. If educators have accurate knowledge and positive attitudes, they can help their students acquire accurate knowledge and develop positive attitudes. Forty‐two health care educators in a large community college completed a sexuality knowledge and attitude scale. The study attempted to determine the extent of the educators’ knowledge of sexuality in the aged, their attitudes toward it, the relationship between sexual knowledge and attitudes, and the relationship of knowledge and attitudes to certain personal / demographic variables and professional / experiential factors. The results indicated that the health care educators had limited knowledge regarding aged sexuality but held positive attitudes toward it. No significant relationship was found between knowledge and attitudes. Older health care educators and educators who had participated in continuing education related to sexuality possessed more knowledge about aged sexuality. Educators who rated themselves as more religious held more restrictive attitudes.     

Endurance of Undergraduate Attitudes Toward Older Adults

This cross-sectional study assessed undergraduate attitudes toward older adults and attitude endurance 3 to 18 months after aging coursework. Survey respondents included 349 students who took an aging elective and 430 comparison students. Aging-elective students indicated more positive attitudes than comparison students. Attitudes did not vary across 3 groups staggered by time elapsed from completing the course until testing (3 to 18 months). 4 variables accounted for the variance in attitudes toward elders at a statistically significant level: majoring in biology, having frequent or occasional contact with unrelated older adults, taking an aging course, and post-course knowledge of aging.     

A REEXAMINATION OF THE FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE AGING SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL USING A GENERALIZED SOCIAL OBJECT

During the past thirty years, gerontologists and educational professionals have attempted to determine the effects of teaching courses in gerontology and aging on the attitudes of students. The results of studies of attitude toward the elderly before and after such courses have been mixed. This study discusses some of the problems in assessing attitudes toward the elderly and reexamines the Aging Semantic Differential, an instrument developed in an attempt to clarify the factors accounting for attitudes toward the elderly and to provide a viable instrument for attitude measurement. The instrument was reported to consist of three underlying factors. It was reported that factor scales could be used to do profile analyses to determine variations in attitude toward different age groups. The original instrument was developed utilizing a social object of young, middle‐aged, and old men. In many of the studies conducted with the instrument, a more generalized social object such as old person has been used. The current study attempts to determine if three factors are appropriate, as originally reported, and whether the items reported to load on the original three factors are the same if a more generalized social object is used. Suggestions for appropriate use of the Aging Semantic Differential by educational professionals who wish to do a profile analysis of attitude and attitude change as a result of educational intervention are included.     

Is There a Double Standard of Aging?: Older Men and Women and Ageism

This study was designed to determine current young adults' attitudes toward older adults and to explore, more specifically, whether they hold different attitudes towards older men and women. An additional objective was to examine the association between knowledge of aging processes and attitudes towards older adults. A total of 405 (210 males, 195 females) undergraduate students at a small Midwestern university were assessed on their attitudes toward an older male and an older female and on their knowledge of aging. Data analyses revealed that the participants showed more positive, rather than negative, attitudes towards older adults, and they rated older women significantly more positively than older men. No relationship was found between knowledge of aging processes and attitudes toward aging. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Attitudes toward Older Workers among Undergraduates: Does Status Make a Difference?

Most research on attitudes toward older adults does not address subgroups of older adults. This study evaluated whether attitudes among undergraduates towards older professionals were more positive than those toward older adults in general. A 2 × 2 factorial design with the covariate of knowledge of aging was used with measures from two attitude scales. Independent variables were the priming target of older adults in general or older professionals and the order of administration of the two attitude scales with a sample of 107 undergraduates. The covariate was significant for three of the four dependent measures. The scale specifically developed for attitudes toward older workers showed a significant difference between the priming instruction groups, with more positive attitudes toward older professionals. Significant interactions in the same direction were noted for two of the other scales: Avoidance and Discrimination. The results suggest that professional status does provide one case in which negative attitudes among undergraduates toward older workers and adults in general may not hold.