Respecting our elders: Evaluation of an educational program for adolescent students to promote respect toward older adults.

Abstract

The current project explored issues related to respect for older people, and then developed, implemented, and evaluated an educational intervention program for adolescents to raise understanding and improve attitudes toward older people. In Study 1, 46 focus groups were conducted, with participants (n = 211) drawn from older people, carers of older people, and adolescents to inform on issues related to the expression of respect to older people. The emergent themes were used to inform the design of the educational program delivered to adolescents and evaluated in Study 2. A total of 118 year-9 students were allocated to an intervention or control condition. The intervention group participated in 4 educational sessions focused on developing understanding of and respect for older adults, and promoting positive interactions with older people. Participants in both conditions completed measures of knowledge and attitudes to aging to determine whether the intervention had effected change at post-program and at 6-months follow-up. Analyses indicated significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and social skills related to older people in the intervention group compared to the control group. The findings from these studies provide a better understanding of what constitutes respect for older people, and a method for improving this in adolescents.

Reducing Negative Aging Stereotypes via Educational Intervention in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Study

“…Educational interventions that combined information with exposure as an indirect interaction have targeted younger populations (Brothers & Diehl, 2017). Studies combining information with group discussions reduced ageism in health care students and workers (Lucchetti et al, 2017; Mellor, et al, 2015; Merz et al, 2018; Stuart-Hamilton & Mahoney, 2003). Similar outcomes occurred with educational interventions that combined information with video viewings, which improved attitudes toward aging in these health care samples (Blanco-Molina & Pinazo-Hernandis, 2016; Braun et al, 1998; Lytle et al, 2021).…”

“…However, other studies considered widely variable post-test periods, including just 1 week (Lytle & Levy, 2019; Pacala et al, 1995), 6 months (Braun et al, 1998; Merz et al, 2018), and 8 months (Cummings et al, 2006; Lucchetti et al, 2017). Still others reported improvements in the perception of aging in an immediate post-test (Blanco-Molina & Pinazo-Hernandis, 2016; Mellor et al, 2015). A systematic review by Burnes et al (2019) indicated that only 19% of articles included a follow-up measurement; the stipulated times for follow-up were between 2 weeks (Lytle & Levy, 2019) and 16 months (Hwang et al, 2013) after the pre-intervention measurement.…”

“…Another type of educational intervention methodology scarcely studied in the literature is exposure as an indirect interaction, which includes use of videos, guest speakers, panel discussions, and observations (Chonody, 2015; Cramer et al, 1997). Of these, videos are the least used, although videos can be an easy and feasible method to address ageism, especially when combined with information (Blanco-Molina & Pinazo-Hernandis, 2016; Braun et al, 1998), with intergenerational contact (Lytle et al, 2021), or with both information and intergenerational contact (Mellor et al, 2015). Further, Burnes et al’s (2019) meta-analysis of anti-ageism educational interventions indicates that only 24% of studies included control groups, only 19% included follow-up measurements, and only 8% used randomized controlled designs.…”

“…Further, Burnes et al’s (2019) meta-analysis of anti-ageism educational interventions indicates that only 24% of studies included control groups, only 19% included follow-up measurements, and only 8% used randomized controlled designs. Additionally, when control groups were used, they either were not subjected to specific activities or those activities were not reported (Lucchetti et al, 2017; Mellor et al, 2015; Merz et al, 2018). Single-session interventions have also been poorly studied, although they have achieved favorable results from university students and adult workers (Blanco-Molina & Pinazo-Hernandis, 2016; Stuart-Hamilton & Mahoney, 2003).…”

“You gotta respect”: Mexican-origin Adolescents’ Perspectives on Respect in Organized Activities

“…Respect is captured in the core Latino cultural value respéto, which includes obedience to authority and deference toward adults (Calzada, Fernandez, & Cortes, 2010). This definition aligns with research on how youth respect elders, such that gerontology studies have unveiled several dimensions of respect, including youth complying with, caring for, seeking advice from, using appropriate language with, and being courteous toward older adults (Mellor, McCabe, Rizzuto, & Gruner, 2015). This definition, taken together with the social justice literature, suggests that respect includes value and positive appraisal, as well as dimensions of giving and receiving, through adult-youth and youth-youth interactions.…”