Undergraduate students' attitudes toward older adults after an intergenerational service-learning project.

Abstract

In the United States, adults are living longer, and working longer and negative attitudes toward older adults still exist. Attitudes of college students from various colleges and disciplines have been studied to assess their attitudes toward older adults. Current literature suggests that students who participated in intergenerational service-learning projects have a positive change in attitudes toward older adults. The purpose of this present study was to assess the difference in community/public health undergraduate college students' attitudes toward older adults before and after an intergenerational service-learning project. The refined Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) and the Student Assisted Independent Living (SAIL) Questionnaire were provided to undergraduate college students enrolled in a 4000 level health and aging course who also participated in an intergenerational service-learning project as a course requirement. Survey instruments were administered on three separate occasions to determine changes in attitudes toward older adults before, during, and after the intergenerational service-learning project. Due to a small sample size, changes in attitudes were not statistically significant but trended toward a positive change in undergraduate college students' attitudes toward older adults. Although results were not statistically significant, effect sizes ranged from weak to moderate. With minimal research found in community/public health students' attitudes toward older adults, a recommendation for future studies should include continued exploration of community/public health students' attitudes' toward older adults.