COVID-19 health worries and anxiety symptoms among older adults: the moderating role of ageism.

A prominent feature of anxiety in late life is concerns regarding physical health. Anxiety symptoms among older adults have been connected with various psychological outcomes, including social isolation and loneliness. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many societies have demonstrated increased ageist attitudes, encouraging older adults to distance themselves from society. Accordingly, the current study examined the moderating role of COVID-19-related ageism in the connection between COVID-19 health worries and anxiety symptoms among older adults. Data were collected from 243 older adults (age range 60-92; M = 69.75, SD = 6.69), who completed scales assessing COVID-19-related health worries and ageism, as well as anxiety symptoms. The results demonstrated that both health worries and ageism were positively associated with anxiety symptoms. Moreover, the connection between health worries and anxiety symptoms was more pronounced among older adults with high ageism levels. The study highlights the vulnerability of older adults in general, and ageist older adults in particular, to the negative consequences of COVID-19-related health worries, and emphasizes the role of the increased ageist stance of society during the pandemic in this regard.

The effect of exposure to missile attacks on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms as a function of perceived media control and locus of control.

Exposure is one of the most robust predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in warfare situations. Yet, while many are sensitive to exposure, others do not develop PTSD. In the current study, we address how perceived media control along with external locus of control moderate effects of exposure on PTSD symptoms among 1268 individuals exposed to missile attacks (mean age=36.97). We expected that the coupling of low perceived media control, whereby one feels poor control over media consumption (an inability to stop), especially when irrelevant and non-informative (e.g., involuntarily viewing the same terror incident shown repeatedly in a looped fashion) along with a self-perception of external locus of control, will render participants highly vulnerable to exposure. As expected, results suggest that effects of exposure on PTSD are not automatic, rather, the coupling of both low media control along with believing that life event are controlled by external factors exacerbates effects of exposure. These findings bear practical implications, as both media control and locus of control can be modified by therapeutic interventions, rendering one less vulnerable to the detrimental effects of traumatic exposure.

The attitudes of psychiatric hospital staff toward hospitalization and treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder.

BACKGROUND: Negative attitudes towards patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) may affect their treatment. We aimed to identify attitudes toward patients with BPD. METHODS: Clinicians in four psychiatric hospitals in Israel (n = 710; psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and nurses) were approached and completed questionnaires on attitudes toward these patients. RESULTS: Nurses and psychiatrists reported encountering a higher number of patients with BPD during the last month, and exhibited more negative attitudes and less empathy toward these patients than the other two professions. The whole sample evaluated the decision to hospitalize such a patient as less justified than the decision to hospitalize a patient with Major Depressive Disorder. Negative attitudes were positively correlated with caring for greater numbers of patients with BPD in the past month and in the past 12 months. Nurses expressed the highest interest in studying short-term methods for treating patients with BPD and a lower percentage of psychiatrists expressed an interest in improving their professional skills in treating these patients. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that nurses and psychiatrists differ from the other professions in their experience and attitudes toward patients with BPD. We conclude that nurses and psychiatrists may be the target of future studies on their attitudes toward provocative behavioral patterns (e.g., suicide attempts) characterizing these patients. We also recommend implementing workshops for improving staff attitudes toward patients with BPD.

The paths leading from attachment to ageism: a structural equation model approach.

The study introduces a model in which attachment patterns serve as predictors, empathy and fear of death as mediators, and ageism as the predicted variable. Data were collected from young adults (N = 440). Anxious attachment was directly and positively correlated with ageism, and also indirectly and positively by the mediator "fear of death." Avoidant attachment was indirectly and negatively correlated with ageism by the mediator "empathy". It is suggested that interventions for reducing ageist attitudes among younger adults would focus on existential fears, as well as on empathic ability, according to the attachment tendencies of these individuals.

Cross-cultural ageism: ageism and attitudes toward aging among Jews and Arabs in Israel.

BACKGROUND: While it is generally agreed that traditional societies are more favorable toward their elders, research findings have been inconsistent. Accordingly, this study presents a cultural comparison between Jews and Arabs in Israel in attitudes toward older adults and personal views regarding one's own aging. It was assumed that Arabs would rate their culture as more tolerant toward older adults, would report spending more time with them, and express lower ageism and aging anxieties. METHOD: We examined 154 native Israeli citizens, 86 Jewish and 68 Muslim Arabs, who completed measures of ageism, aging anxieties, and cultural views of older adults. RESULTS: Arabs rated their culture as more tolerant toward their elders, perceived older adults as significantly more contributing to society, and reported engaging in less avoiding behaviors toward them. Arabs also exhibited less general fears of growing old and concerns over one's physical appearance in old age. But it was interesting to note that Arab women reported higher scores of aging anxieties and ageist attitudes in comparison to Arab men, whereas no such differences were found among Jews. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point that the cultural importance of elders for the Arab cohort transcends beyond Westernization processes which affect the Arab society in Israel, and reflect the demanding role of Arab women as primary caregivers for the elders in the family. Limitations and implications of the study are discussed.

Different dimensions of ageist attitudes among men and women: a multigenerational perspective.

BACKGROUND: Ageism, a form of prejudice in which one relates negatively to people due to their age, exists throughout life. However, no attempt has been made to compare ageist attitudes across the life cycle, from young adulthood to old age. Consequently, the current study examined age and gender differences in ageism throughout adulthood. METHODS: 955 Israeli participants (age range: 18-98 years) were divided into three age-groups: young (18-39), middle-aged (40-67), and old (68-98), and were administered the Fraboni Scale of Ageism. Age and gender differences were examined both for the three groups and for subgroups within the older adult cohort. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that middle-aged participants were significantly more ageist than younger and older groups. Across all age groups, men exhibited more avoidance and stereotypical attitudes toward older adults than women. Among the old age group, participants aged 81-98 held more ageist stereotypes and reported more avoidance of older adults than those aged 68-73. Within the older adult cohort, gender was a significant predictor for ageist attitudes among those aged 68-73 and 81-98, but not for people aged 74-80. CONCLUSIONS: Ageism demonstrates a changing pattern across the life span. While gender differences remain stable, ageist attitudes toward growing old as we age ourselves are constantly changing. In order to gain a better understanding of ageism as a general and global phenomenon, we need to consider the role of such attitudes in different stages of life.

Sheltered housing or community dwelling: quality of life and ageism among elderly people.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have found correlations between negative perceptions of old age and perceived quality of life (QoL) among elderly people. It has also been suggested that a denial of aging mechanism is employed and might support ageist attitudes among private-sheltered housing tenants compared with elderly people who live in the community and experience intra-generational interactions. Therefore, we hypothesized that tenants of sheltered housing will report more ageist attitudes towards people of their own age, and report a lower QoL than elderly people who live in the community. METHODS: The sample included 126 volunteers, aged between 64 and 94 years, who live in private-sheltered housing (n = 32) or in the community (n = 94). The participants completed the Fraboni scale of ageism, and a QoL Inventory (SF-36). RESULTS: People, and men in particular, who live in sheltered housing, reported more intergenerational ageist attitudes than men and women who live in the community. Tenants in sheltered housing expressed lower evaluations of their mental health, but higher evaluations on "social functioning" (QoL scales). Women from sheltered housing reported better mental health than men. Gender and some QoL scales were associated with higher ageism. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in ageist attitudes between both dwelling places can be interpreted according to Social Identity Theory, which refers to the impact of the ingroup on social attitudes. Differences in QoL can be understood by the accessibility of social activities in private-sheltered housing. Gender differences in ageism and QoL can be explained by women's better social adjustment. Findings should be regarded with caution because of the small sample.

Staff attitudes toward patients with borderline personality disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Our aims were (1) to develop 2 inventories for the measurement of cognitive and emotional attitudes toward borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients and their treatment and (2) to use these tools to understand and compare attitudes of psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurses toward BPD patients. METHOD: Two lists of items referring to cognitive (47 items) and emotional attitudes (20 items) toward BPD patients were formulated. Fifty-seven clinicians (25 nurses, 13 psychologists, and 19 psychiatrists), who had been working in public psychiatric institutions for more than 1 year, rated their level of agreement with each item. The list of cognitive attitudes yielded 3 factors (required treatment, suicidal tendencies, and antagonistic judgment). The list of emotional attitudes yielded 3 other factors (negative emotions, experienced difficulties in treatment, and empathy). RESULTS: Psychologists scored lower than psychiatrists and nurses on antagonistic judgments, whereas nurses scored lower than psychiatrists and psychologists on empathy. Regression stepwise analyses conducted on the 3 emotional attitudes separately showed that suicidal tendencies of BPD patients mainly explained the negative emotions and the difficulties in treating these patients. All groups were interested in learning more about the treatment of these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal tendencies of BPD patients provoke antagonistic judgments among the 3 professions. Nevertheless, psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurses hold distinctive cognitive and emotional attitudes toward these patients. Mapping these differences can improve the education and training in the management of BPD patients.

Relations between attachment styles, ageism and quality of life in late life.

BACKGROUND: This study is the first to explore the relations between attachment styles, ageism, and quality of life (QoL) among elderly people. The attachment theory describes how human beings relate to each other, according to their attachment style. Previous studies have examined the connection between attachment styles and prejudice toward distinctive social groups and minorities. Ageism as a form of prejudice is a way of relating negatively to people because they are old. QoL among the elderly was found to be associated with negative age-perceptions. It was therefore hypothesized that QoL, attachments styles, and demographic characteristics can explain ageism among the elderly. METHODS: Four questionnaires were administered: Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA), which comprises four scales (separation, affective, stereotype, and intergeneration); Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, which measures four attachment styles (secure, dismissive, fearful, and preoccupied); SF-36 health status inventory (eight scales); and sociodemographic questions. Ninety-four elderly men and women aged 64-85 years living in the community completed the questionnaires. RESULTS: MANCOVAS indicated that securely attached individuals score lower [corrected] than fearfully attached individuals, and that securely and dismissively attached individuals score higher than fearful and preoccupied individuals on seven QoL scales. Multiple regression analyses showed that attachment styles, age, gender, and some QoL scales contribute to the explained variance of ageism. CONCLUSIONS: Secure attachment in late life seems to be related to less ageism and a better QoL. The enhancement of a secure attachment base in elderly people may assist in moderating ageism and improving older people's QoL.