The effects of intergenerational experiences on adolescents and older adults

We evaluated an intergenerational program bringing together older people and adolescents to examine assumptions underlying intergenerational programming and determine if either generation changed its attitudes toward the other. Program components allowed older people and adolescents to act as either intergenerational helpers or recipients of help. The amount of intergenerational contact prior to participating in the program was examined. Only one group's attitudes changed following participation in the program: adolescents who helped older people showed more enjoyment in being with older people, decreased social distance, and a more positive perception of older people's attitudes toward the young.