Effect of direct and extended intergenerational contact on attitudes towards older adults: A study of multiple mediators
Keywords:
Intergroup contact, Intergenerational contact, Attitudes towards older adults, Ageism, PrejudiceAbstract
Thailand is experiencing a rapid increase in the aging population; therefore, negative attitudes towards older adults have become an increasing concern. Research suggests that positive intergenerational contact can improve young people’s attitudes towards older adults. The present research aimed to investigate the mediating role of intergroup anxiety and aging anxiety in the relationship between direct intergenerational contact and attitudes towards older adults, and the mediating role of intergroup anxiety, aging anxiety, and in-group norm in the relationship between extended intergenerational contact and attitudes towards older adults. The results, from 554 undergraduate students, indicated that the positive effect of direct intergenerational contact on attitudes towards older adults was mediated by reductions in intergroup anxiety, whereas aging anxiety did not have a mediational role. Furthermore, extended intergenerational contact did not affect attitudes towards older adults. The results suggest that attitudes towards older adults can be improved by increasing the quality and frequency of intergenerational contact and developing a technique to reduce anxiety when interacting with older adults.
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