Abstract
This presentation examines college students’ self-perceptions of aging using written essays from the assignment “When I’m 75” that was assigned at the beginning and end of the semester in an introductory gerontology course. Despite robust literature on people’s attitudes toward aging and older adults, far less is known about attitudes toward one’s own aging, especially among college students. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyze the students’ perception of their aging experience in their written assignment. Three overarching superordinate themes were identified: challenges of aging, proactive steps to avoid negative consequences of aging, and housing considerations. Findings suggest that after completing an introductory gerontology course, students demonstrated an understanding of some age-related changes yet still had a stereotypical understanding of what it is like to be age 75. This suggests the need to engage students in moving beyond stereotypes and to better link older age with their own future experience.
Highlights
This dissertation examines college students’ self-perceptions of aging using written essays from the assignment “When I’m 75” that was assigned at the beginning and end of the semester in an introductory gerontology course
Despite robust literature on people’s attitudes toward aging and older adults, far less is known about attitudes toward one’s own aging, especially among college students
Sampling and Data Collection Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) calls for a small, homogenous sample to best represent the detailed perceptions of the group (Smith & Osborn, 2008)
Summary
Review your ““When I’m 75”” paper that you wrote during the first week of the semester. The students’ perceptions of mental health were difficult to understand at times due to the contradictory nature of their writing In both the beginning and the end of the semester, students seemed to suggest that issues with mental health (both psychological and cognitive) were something to be extremely scared of because it would drastically change their quality of life and sense of self. How students would avoid negative aspects of aging is discussed within the following subordinate themes: being productive, exercise and eating right, being financially stable, being socially connected, and the roles of older adults. While Trent discusses the mental body in terms of anxiety and depression, students found it important to highlight that being active in old age increases confidence, sense of well-being, and sense of worth. The “When I’m 75” assignment is a useful tool to help educators know the baseline understanding of their students, and what needs to be done to remedy incorrect information to help these students move forward in their academic careers
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