Date of Award

8-1-1984

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Teaching & Learning

Abstract

Purpose Purposes of this study were: (a) to assess the effects of inter- generational contact on the attitudes and knowledge of second-grade students and (b) to determine if similarities existed between second- grade students' and their parents' attitudes and knowledge concerning the elderly. Procedure The research population for this study was comprised of 91 Grand Forks Public School second-grade students and 61 of their parents. The experimental group of students (46) participated in an intergenerational program with elderly persons in a nursing home. The control group of students (45) was not involved in this intergenerational program. All of the students (91) were given adapted versions of the following tests during January and February 1984: (a) Children's Views on Aging (CVOA), and (b) Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz. Additionally, during February of 1984 at least one of the parents of 61 students voluntarily completed the following: (a) My Child's Contact With Elderly People Questionnaire, (b) Kogan's Old People Scales, and (c) Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz. Resulting data were statistically tested for significant relationships and group differences.

Findings 1. On most measures no differences were found between the experi mental and control groups of children and parents. There was a significant difference found between the groups of children concerning their perception of how the oldest person they knew felt to be old. The children involved in the intergenerational program tended to perceive that the oldest person they knew felt bad, while the children in the control group tended to perceive that this oldest person felt good. 2. With one exception, no significant relationships were found between the children's or parents' perceptions and factual information concerning the elderly. The exception was that of children who had higher scores on factual information concerning the elderly also per ceived the elderly as stronger. 3. No strong relationship between children's and parents' attitudes and information concerning the elderly was found in this study.

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