Viktorija Piščalkienė, Dainė Krasuckienė, Evelina Lamsodienė
Abstract
Ageing society problems are relevant for many European and world countries. The word “old age” which is often associated with many negative associations, reveals the reason of this fact . One of the reasons is the fear of old age, with another being the negative attitude towards old people, called „Ageism“. The aim of the research – reveal college students’ attitudes to the elderly, using culturally adapted Kogan‘s questionnaire (KAOP), which is designed to assess attitudes to the elderly people. The research methodology. Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (N. Kogan, 1996) has been used for the research. This scale consists of 34 questions (statements): 17 of which represent a positive attitude of older people, while the other 17 represent negative ones. In addition, several questions have been submitted which reflect students‘communication experience with older people. There were also 3 questions, evaluating the students’ sociodemographic characteristics. Research methods. Analysis of scientific literature, statistical data analysis using SPSS 21 (descriptive statistics, psychometric analysis, T-test, Anova test). Kogan‘s standardized questionnaire Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total scale is 0,73. Research subjects. The research involved 124 final year students of one of the Lithuanian colleges: 71 general practice nursing, 32 social work, and 21 occupational therapy degree program student. Results. Total positive statements reflecting attitudes towards older people is on average slightly higher than the negatives. The biggest strength of the assent to positive Kogan scale statements were by occupational therapy students. The lowest assent to positive Kogan scale statements was set among the youngest students who took part in the study, aged 18-25 years. Future general practice nursing, social work, and occupational therapy study program graduates are determined to work with the older. Irrespective of greater or lesser assent to positive scale statements, students equally prefer working with this group. Students’ attitudes towards older people did not differ according to their communication experience with older people relatives in the immediate environment (family).
Keyword(s): older people; Kogan‘s scale; students.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2016.085
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