International Application of the Working With Older Adult Scale

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Social Psychology
• Cross-Cultural Studies

Background:

• The global population is aging rapidly, creating a growing need for a workforce prepared to care for older adults.
• Current workforce preparedness is insufficient to meet the increasing demands associated with an aging global population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) using the Working with Older Adults Scale (WOAS) among university students.
• To understand global perceptions and intentions regarding working with older adults.
• To compare attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and intentions between North American and international students.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Working with Older Adults Scale (WOAS) and Ageism Attitude Scale.
• Surveyed university-aged international and North American students at a Canadian university.
• Included an open-ended question on cultural views of older adults.

Main Results:

• Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control significantly predicted Intention to work with older adults across the full sample and subgroups.
• North American students demonstrated lower intention to work with older adults and higher levels of ageism compared to international students.
• Despite cultural differences, key predictors of intention to work with older adults were consistent across groups.

Conclusions:

• The Theory of Planned Behavior provides a framework for understanding intentions to work with older adults.
• Cultural nuances significantly impact attitudes towards working with older adults, with North American students exhibiting more negative perceptions.
• Further research is needed to explore these cultural differences and inform workforce development strategies for an aging global population.