CHILD AND ADOLESCENT KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES ABOUT OLDER ADULTS ACROSS TIME AND STATES

Abstract

The original Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz was modified and presented to 954 elementary, middle, and high school students (grades 3, 6, 9, 12) in West Virginia and Texas. Three separate experiments were summarized involving the Child Adolescent Facts on Aging Quiz (CAFAQ). Similar student responses on number of correct items and bias were noted in 1983 and 1998. Adolescents showed positive bias, but elementary school children showed negative bias toward older adults. Female adolescents tended to show more positive bias than male adolescents. With regard to ethnicity, White adolescents answered more correct items than Hispanic adolescent students. Hispanic adolescents tended to show more negative bias than White or Black adolescent students. No relationship between weekly contact with an older adult and accuracy or bias was observed.