Reducing Negative Aging Stereotypes via Educational Intervention in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Anti-ageism interventions traditionally target younger individuals. We analyzed the effect of an educational intervention that combined an infusion of aging content with videos to reduce negative stereotypes toward aging in a randomized controlled study of 56 community-dwelling older adults. The experimental group received a single one-hour information session and video viewing on ageism; the control group viewed 1 hour of videos unrelated to ageism. Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated that the experimental group reported a significantly reduced Negative Stereotypes Toward Aging Questionnaire (CENVE) total score along with an independent measure of the character–personality factor in this questionnaire 1 week and 1 month after the intervention compared to baseline. The control group showed no changes. This work reports for the first time that a one-hour information session about aging combined with video viewing on ageism can efficiently reduce negative stereotypes of aging in older people in the short and medium term.