Student evaluation
Fear of Older People sub-scale from aging anxiety measure
What is this measuring?
This is a subscale called Fear of Older People from the Anxiety about Aging scale by Lasher and Faulkender (1993). Leedahl et al., (2019) utilized the subscale to analyze older adult outcomes.
Source:
Lasher, K.P, & Faulkender, P.J. (1993). Measurement of aging anxiety: Development of the Anxiety about Aging Scale. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 37(4), 247-259.
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. I enjoy being around older people. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 2. I like to go visit my older relatives. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 3. I enjoy talking with older adults. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 4. I feel very comfortable when I am around an older person. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 5. I enjoy doing things for older 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 5 questions. Higher scores indicate less anxiety about aging/more positive feelings towards older people.
Psychometrics – Cronbach’s alpha if possible:
From Leedahl et al. (2019)
Pre: 0.92
Post: 0.96