Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of Effective Programs for Reducing Ageism Toward Older Adults.

A systematic review and meta-analyses examined intervention strategies to reduce ageism toward older adults using AgeLine, EBSCO, Embase, Campbell Collaboration, CINAHL, CDSR, DARE, Google Scholar, MedlinePlus, PROSPERO, PsycINFO, PubMed, ProQuest for dissertations, and SSCI from inception to September 2021. These meta-analyses involved within-subject (n = 74; 6271 participants) and between-subject designs (n = 78; 6857 participants) across 11 countries and 45 years with participants ages 3-45 years. Examining PEACE model components (Levy, 2018), the aggregate effect sizes were statistically significant for between-subject (within-subject) studies measuring ageist attitudes, g = 0.326 (g = 0.108) and aging knowledge, g = 0.583 (g = 0.304). Separate meta-analyses of contact programs showed significant estimated effect sizes among between-subject (g = 0.329) and within-subject studies (g = 0.263). Along with results from moderation analyses, a main conclusion is that effective interventions include education about aging and positive intergenerational contact (individualized, equal status, and in-person).

Pre-pandemic Ageism Toward Older Adults Predicts Behavioral Intentions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, older adults have been disproportionately affected by high rates of health complications and mortality. Reactions toward older adults included a mix of prosocial behaviors and ageist responses, consistent with the history of positive and negative views and treatment of older adults in the United States. METHODS: In a two-part study (n = 113, Mage = 18.49, SD = 0.50; range 18-19), we examined whether pre-pandemic ageism among undergraduates predicts prosocial behavioral intentions toward older adults both specific to COVID-19 and in general. RESULTS: Pre-pandemic ageism toward older adults predicted less intentions to help older adults generally and specific to COVID-19. Whereas viewing older adults as incompetent predicted greater intentions to help specific to COVID-19. DISCUSSION: These results reflect the complexity of predicting helping behaviors and suggest that even supportive behaviors toward older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic may be rooted in negative ageist stereotypes. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Reducing Ageism With Brief Videos About Aging Education, Ageism, and Intergenerational Contact.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: With an increasing older population, ageism continues to be a significant social issue. Interventions to reduce ageism and improve intergenerational contact are needed. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Building on the Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences (PEACE) model, undergraduates in an online experiment were randomly assigned to watch videos that provided education about aging, ageism, and positive intergenerational contact (experimental condition) or education about wallpaper (control condition). RESULTS: In Part 1, 845 undergraduates in the experimental condition (vs. control condition) reported lower levels of ageism, less negative age stereotypes, more positive age stereotypes, and more aging knowledge in an immediate post-test. In Part 2 (1-6 weeks later), undergraduates in the experimental condition (vs. control condition) reported more positive age stereotypes in a delayed post-test. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings highlight the promise of providing information about aging and positive intergenerational contact to reduce ageism. Brief online educational videos based on the PEACE model hold promise as an effective tool to reach a wide audience and reduce ageism.

Prioritizing Health Care and Employment Resources During COVID-19: Roles of Benevolent and Hostile Ageism.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Benevolent and hostile ageism are subtypes of ageism that characterize older adults as incompetent. With benevolent ageism, older adults are also viewed as warm. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has strained resources and prompted debates about priority for older adults versus other groups. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: College students completed an online survey of how much priority should be given to older adults in 3 relevant health care-related scenarios and 3 relevant employment scenarios. RESULTS: Benevolent ageism significantly predicted higher priority for older adults to receive health care (triage, COVID-19 vaccine, and COVID-19 testing) and employment resources (retention of job and working from home) while greater endorsement of hostile ageism significantly predicted lower priority ratings. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings replicate and extend past work. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on health care and employment resources, this study sheds light on one factor-benevolent and hostile ageism-that contributes to a greater understanding of prioritization views toward a vulnerable segment of the population.

COVID-19 and ageism: How positive and negative responses impact older adults and society.

The disproportionately high rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health complications and mortality among older adults prompted supportive public responses, such as special senior early shopping hours and penpal programs. Simultaneously, some older adults faced neglect and blatant displays of ageism (e.g., #BoomerRemover) and were considered the lowest priority to receive health care. This article examines positive and negative responses toward older adults in the United States during the pandemic and the consequences for older adults and society using data from the pandemic in the United States (and informed by data from other countries) as well as past theorizing and empirical research on views and treatment of older adults. Specifically, positive responses can reinforce the value of older adults, improve older adults' mental and physical health, reduce ageism, and improve intergenerational relations, whereas negative responses can have the opposite effects. However, positive responses (social distancing to protect older adults from COVID-19 infection) can inadvertently increase loneliness, depression, health problems, and negative stereotyping of older adults (e.g., helpless, weak). Pressing policy issues evident from the treatment of older adults during the pandemic include health care (triaging, elder abuse), employment (layoffs, retirement), and education about ageism, as well as the intersection of ageism with other forms of prejudice (e.g., racism) that cuts across these policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Sexual Orientation and Gender Differences in Aging Perceptions and Concerns Among Older Adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ageism (negative attitudes and behavior toward older adults) is a serious social issue and is of growing concern as the population of older adults continues to increase. Research demonstrates that negative aging perceptions and aging concerns are associated with poor health and well-being among older adults; yet, few studies have examined sexual orientation or gender differences in aging perceptions and concerns among older adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The current online study examined aging perceptions and concerns among a national community sample of 821 (female = 464) participants (76 lesbian, 159 gay, 88 bisexual, 498 heterosexual participants) ranging from 45 to 80 years of age (M = 55.56). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Older women reported more aging anxiety and endorsement of aging stereotypes while older sexual minority individuals reported heightened general aging concerns compared to their heterosexual peers. Among sexual minority participants, discrimination based on age and sexual orientation predicted greater sexual minority-specific aging concerns, anxiety, and depression. Experiencing sexual orientation discrimination buffered age discrimination's impact on sexual minority-specific aging concerns, suggesting that experiencing discrimination based on one stigmatized identity (sexual minority) may promote effective coping with discrimination based on another stigmatized identity (older adult). Conversely, age and sexual orientation discrimination had multiplicative effects on anxiety and depression. IMPLICATIONS: Overall, findings point to the importance of examining sexual orientation and gender differences in aging perceptions and concerns to more fully understand the experiences, health, and well-being of the growing older population. Implications for future directions are discussed.