Healthy, Happy, and Old: Children Learn About the Elderly

Abstract

This study explored the effectiveness of a curriculum in fostering children's positive attitudes toward the elderly and their own aging. The curriculum was developed around three major goals: (1) increasing children's knowledge of the elderly; (2) enabling children to assess their own aging positively; and (3) decreasing negative stereotyping of the physical and behavioral characteristics of the elderly. A total of 108 children in kindergarten through the sixth grade received the curriculum; 107 children in the same grades served as the control and did not participate in the curriculum. The test. Children's Attitudes Toward the Elderly (CATE) (Jantz, Seefeldt, Galper, & Serock, 1976), was administered on a pre-post paradigm. Multiple regression analyses were computed to assess the effects of the curriculum on posttest responses on the CATE. The results indicated that the curriculum was effective in fostering positive attitudes toward the elderly as measured by the total score, F (1,209) = 5.28, p <.05; in knowledge of older persons, F (1,209) = 5.41, p < .01; and in changing stereotyped thinking about the elderly. The curriculum, however, did not significantly change children's negative attitudes toward their own aging.

Attitude Toward Old People: The Impact of an Intergenerational Program

“…Types of intervention programs that have resulted in positive attitude change toward old people include: (a) oral history projects (Myerhoff & Tufte, 1975); (b) elder volunteer programs (Carstensen, Mason, & Caldwell, 1982); and (c) open-ended intergenerational discussions (Labouvie-Vief & Baltes, 1976;Olejnik & LaRue, 1981;Seefeldt et al, 1981;Trent, Glass, & Crockett, 1979).…”

Intergenerating Activities and Aging Appreciation of Elementary School Children

“…Waas, Fillmer, and Ward (1981) found negative stereotyping of older persons as a hurdle in implementing the Older Americans Act. Seefeldt, Jantz, Galper, and Serock (1981) tested a 6-week curriculum on aging to promote positive attitudes toward the elderly among kindergarten through sixth grade (K-6) students. The ündings revealed that although attitudes toward the elderly improved, the children did not develop positive images about their own aging process.…”

Intergenerational Education

“…Need for the Study "People in the United States, as people everywhere, are ambivalent about aging" ( de Beauvoir, 1973in Seefeldt et al, 1981). Yet, "between today and the year 2050, the percentage of persons age 65 and older will rise from the current twelve percent of the total population to 23 percent of the total population" (Aaina America.…”

“…Neugarten (1971( , in Seefeldt et al 1981 explained, "stereotypes about aging and the aged create a particularly complex set of problems. In addition to making us fear aging, the stereotypes lead to a divisiveness in society at large that has been called ageism--that is negative or destructive competition" (p. 80).…”

“…In addition to making us fear aging, the stereotypes lead to a divisiveness in society at large that has been called ageism--that is negative or destructive competition" (p. 80). It is no secret that children hold many stereotypic ideas about the elderly, (Hauwiller & Jennings, 1981;Seefeldt et al, 1981;Sparling & Rogers, 1985;Seefeldt et al, 1977). In fact, in a study done by Hauwiller and Jennings (1981 ), teachers were given a variety of children's literature to review.…”