Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1988

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major Professor

Bill C. Wallace

Committee Members

Jack Pursley, James Neutens, Priscilla White

Abstract

America is rapidly becoming a society of older people. Unfortunately, it is possible for Americans to reach old age with little or no education about aging or anticipatory guidance about aging. Americans are not educationally, socially, or emotionally prepared for old age.

Aging is not a selective process that affects only a few, it is a universal phenomena. Successful adaptation to age and aging is important for everyone. If people are to live life to its fullest and best they need to be knowledgable about aging and have positive attitudes in place about aging.

Studies have shown that even young children harbor negative attitudes about age and aging, and that by the time children are twelve to thirteen years old these attitudes are often difficult to change. The intent of this researcher was to work with children before ageist attitudes were engrained, and attempt to promote positive attitudes about aging.

The purpose of this study was to determine if instruction about age and aging with preschoolers would have a significantly positive impact on their attitudes toward age and aging. The problem of this research was to develop an instructional unit on aging for preschoolers, implement the unit, and evaluate the results.

An experimental group of preschoolers received the unit on aging and a control group did not. Both of the groups were pre-tested and post-tested in relation to their attitudes about old people using the Children's Attitudes Toward The Elderly (CATE): Semantic Differential-Old People. The study showed that preschoolers in the experimental group developed significantly more positive attitudes toward old people than the preschoolers in the control group.

It appears that the groundwork for successful aging can be laid with preschool children. Through aging education we may be able to change ageist societal values. A generation of children that see the positive, growth-oriented aspects of aging may be able to create a society that values the elderly, and facilititates adaptation to this later stage of life growth and development. They could increase the quality of life for today's elderly and tomorrow's elderly~of which they will be a part.

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