College-age students' attitudes towards the older adult: Grandparent fit with older adult stereotypes and the closeness of the grandparent/grandchild relationship.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine college students' closest living grandparent "fit" with favorable older adult stereotypes, these students' thoughts about their grandparent, and the closeness of the grandparent/grandchild relationship, as these variables related to attitudes towards the older adult. Data collected from college students was obtained by way of two questionnaires, the Age Group Evaluation and Description Inventory and the Relationship Closeness Inventory, and a thought listing protocol. A relationship was found between grandparent fit with favorable older adult stereotypes and positive attitudes towards older adults, closeness of the grandparent/grandchild relationship and positive attitudes towards older adults, and college students' favorable thoughts about grandparents and positive attitudes towards older adults. Results indicated that the grandparents' perceived influence on the grandchild's life rather than actual amount of time spent with grandparent was most predictive of positive attitudes towards the older adult.