Understanding Adolescents' Perceptions of Anti-Youth Ageism

Past research suggests that adolescents may be subject to anti-youth ageism from adults. However, little research has investigated adolescents' subjective awareness and experiences of anti-youth ageism by adults toward their specific age group. Thus, the purpose of this study was to conduct a secondary qualitative analysis of open-ended response data to better understand how adolescents perceive adult beliefs about teenagers generally and whether (and how) they personally have been treated differently due to their age.

Seven-hundred and seventeen adolescents (ages 13-18 years; 62.9% female; 67.9% Caucasian/White) completed an online survey that included two open-ended questions related to how adults feel about teenagers (prejudice) and whether they had ever been treated differently based on their age (age-based discrimination). Emic and etic coding approaches were used to identify codes and themes from the data.

Results demonstrated that most of the adolescents in this sample believed that adults held negative views toward teenagers (e.g., entitled, rude, lazy, inferior), and they personally were treated differently because of their age.

These findings extend upon recent theory and research and highlight the importance of asking adolescents how they perceive adults' beliefs about them and their interactions with adults (positive and negative). Moreover, the results of this study underscore the critical need for adults, especially those adults in authority (e.g., parents, teachers), to consider how their beliefs and actions may be internalized by adolescents. Further investigation into how these perceptions of anti-youth ageism toward adolescents is warranted.