Children's views on aging: Their attitudes and values

Abstract

Children's perceptions and attitudes about aging and older adults are investigated using a version of Children's Views on Aging (CVoA), a four- part validated instrument designed to assess school-age children's views on older adults and aging. The instrument has been adapted to enable children to make value judgements about their responses to questions on the CVoA. The study reports children's perceptions and attitudes about aging are not as negative as adults conclude. Children are positively affected by interactions with older adults, they describe physical signs of aging without judgement, and respond negatively to some of the unpleasant conditions associated with aging.