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Fostering careers in aging: testing the impact of intergenerational learning on non-nursing students' interest in
Yang Wang1, Huan Sun1, Zhendong Wu2
1Normal School of Vocational Techniques, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China.
Background:
Confronted with a rapidly aging population and a severe shortage of aging-care professionals, China urgently needs to cultivate career interest among younger generations, particularly beyond traditional nursing pathways.
Objective:
To investigate the impact of a structured, theory-driven Intergenerational Learning (IGL) program, grounded in Contact Theory, on the aging-care career interest of non-nursing undergraduate students in China.
Methods:
Utilizing a pre-test/post-test design with an intervention group (n = 31) and a control group (n = 30), we measured outcomes using the Willingness to Work with Elderly People Scale (WEPS) and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA), complemented by post-intervention qualitative interviews.
Results:
Results indicate that the IGL program significantly enhanced students' overall career interest compared to the control group, with notable improvements in the dimensions of Subjective Norm, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Intention. Path analysis revealed that the impact was partially mediated by a reduction in ageist attitudes. A compensatory effect was observed, whereby students with lower baseline interest benefited more from the intervention. Qualitative insights elucidated the mechanisms behind these quantitative findings, including the humanization of older adults and a crystallization of professional attitudes.
Conclusion:
The study suggests that a well-designed IGL intervention can be a promising strategy to address workforce gaps by fostering career interest among non-nursing students, although its effects vary across psychological dimensions and baseline characteristics.
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