Willingness of Nursing Home Residents and Students to Participate in an Intergenerational Program: Effects of Traits and Pressing Developmental Tasks

ABSTRACT

In the present study, we examined whether pressing developmental tasks, that is identity formation and generativity, and personality traits predict nursing home residents’ and students’ willingness to take part in an intergenerational encounter program. A total of 406 students and 114 nursing home residents reported on personality traits, age-relevant developmental tasks, and their willingness to participate in the program. Analyses verified that higher levels of openness were positively associated with participation willingness in both age groups. In addition, lower self-concept clarity among students and higher concern for generativity among older adults predicted their willingness for program participation. Findings are discussed with respect to their relevance for the planning of similar intervention programs in future.

KEYWORDS:

• Motivation
• program participation
• traits
• self-concept clarity
• generative concern

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by a grant from the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research [BMBF; Grant 03VP02120].