Student evaluation
Attitudes towards aging measure
What is this measuring?
This is the Psychological Growth Subscale of the Laidlaw, et al., (2007) Attitudes Toward Ageing Scale, and it was modified for younger adults and used in the Leedahl et al., (2017) article.
Source:
Laidlaw, K., Power, M.J., Schmidt, S., and the WHOQOL-OLD Group. (2007). The attitudes to ageing questionnaire (AAQ): Development and psychometric properties. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22, 367-379.
Leedahl, S.N., Brasher, M.S., Estus, E., Breck, B.M., Dennis, C.B., & Clar, S.C. (2019). Implementing an interdisciplinary intergenerational program using the Cyber-Seniors ® reverse mentoring model within higher education. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 40(1), 71-79.
Survey items – question wording and instructions to participants:
How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Older adults are defined as those 55 and up.
| Statement | 1 Strongly disagree | 2 Disagree | 3 Neutral | 4 Agree | 5 Strongly agree |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. As people get older, they are better able to cope with life. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 2. It is a privilege to grow old. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 3. Wisdom comes with age. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 4. There are many pleasant things about growing older. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 5. People become more accepting of themselves as they grow older. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6. It is very important for older people to pass on the benefits of their experiences to younger people. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 7. It is important that older people give a good example for younger people. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Coding – answer choices:
1=Strongly disagree 2=Disagree 3=Neutral 4=Agree 5=Strongly agree
Scaling – how to combine items / score:
Create a composite score by summing the answers to the 7 questions.
Psychometrics – Cronbach’s alpha if possible:
From Leedahl et al. (2019)
Pre: 0.77
Post: 0.89