Ageism and Ableism: Unrecognized Biases in Occupational Therapy Students

Abstract

Aims This study explored occupational therapy students’ implicit (unconscious) ageism. Because of the relationship between impairment and dependence, and ageism and ableism, we also explored if there was a relationship between occupational therapy students’ implicit ageism and their implicit ableism. Methods We conducted and analyzed implicit age and disability attitude data (i.e., Age Implicit Association Test; Disability Attitude Implicit Association Test) from 54 occupational therapy students. Results Most occupational therapy students in our study (70%) were ageist, with the majority strongly or moderately preferring younger adults over older adults. Our findings also suggest ableism plays a role in ageism – ableism accounted for almost 30% of variance in occupational therapy students’ ageism in our study. Conclusions Through attending to functional interdependence and home modifications occupational therapists can support older adults in the natural processes of aging, instead of reinforcing ageism and its influences on intervention and plan of care development.