Effects of Aging and Adult Development Education and Service Learning on Attitude, Anxiety, and Occupational Interest

This study investigated the effect of a semester-long aging and adult development course that included an intergenerational, service-learning component on attitudes toward older adult men and women, aging anxiety, and interest in occupations that serve older adults among individuals training for careers in healthcare and social services. It also investigat-ed the relationship between quality of intergenerational contact and ageist attitudes as well as differences in attitudes toward older adult men and older adult women. Data col-lection occurred across two semesters. Participants were 70 undergraduates from healthcare and social service majors. Attitudes improved and aging anxiety declined over the semester; interest in occupations serving older adults did not change. Quality of inter-generational contact was related to attitudes and occupational interest at pre-test and post-test. Implications for teaching as well as service-learning are discussed