Abstract
This study begins to investigate the effects of ageism in the family context. The current literature has documented the negative impacts that negative stereotypes and negative perceptions of aging have on older adults’ health, mortality, and well-being (Levy, 1996; Levy, 2003). However, the majority of extant research on ageism focuses on age discrimination in the workplace and in healthcare despite the majority of peoples’ time being spent in the family context. Therefore examining experiences of ageism sourced from family members merits study. Walker, Bisconti and Kinkade (in preparation) found evidence that the experience of ageism within the family context varies from the workplace context. Past research has demonstrated that older adults who identify as being older and adapt to the changes that arise with aging are associated with higher levels of self-esteem (Whitbourne, Sneed, & Skultety, 2002; Weinberger & Whitbourne, 2010). It is hypothesized that age identification will serve as a moderator for the relationship between familial ageism and well-being. Participants completed a set of questionnaires measuring experiences with familial ageism, depression, self-esteem, and ego strength. Experiences of familial ageism correlated with the well-being outcome variables in the predicted direction. Age identity moderated the relationship between familial ageism and depression and ego strength, such that participants who identified as being younger or identified as their age reported lower depression scores and higher ego strength scores. These findings suggest that age identity may serve as a buffer against the negative impacts that experiences of familial ageism has on well-being.
Highlights
Upon meeting another individual, people tend to immediately and unconsciously categorize them on these three qualities: gender, race, and age
The goal of this study is to test the following hypotheses: 1.) Experiences with familial ageism are related to depression and ego strength. 2.) Aging identity moderates the relationship between experiences of familial ageism and depression symptomology. and 3.) Aging identity moderates the relationship between experiences of familial ageism and ego integrity
Moderation Analyses Evidence was found in partial support of the second hypothesis that aging identity would moderate the relationship between experiences of familial ageism and depressive symptomology, R2 = .42, F(3, 194) = 46.41, p
Summary
People tend to immediately and unconsciously categorize them on these three qualities: gender, race, and age. This automatic categorization, or stereotyping, has given rise to different types of “isms.” A significant amount of research has been done on racist and sexist stereotypes, the impact of sexism and racism, and how to combat these forms of discrimination. This area of research is growing, comparatively little attention has been granted to ageism. The purpose of the current study will be to fill the current gap in the literature by studying how ageism impacts mental health outcomes in the family context
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