• Korean Journal of Gerontological Social Welfare
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• v.73 no.1
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• pp.385-416
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• 2018

This study aims to identify factors affecting the young and middle-aged people's stigma against older adults. By identifying the factors, solutions to lower stigma against older adults can be found. For this study, data from '2017 Age Integration Survey' sponsored by National Research Foundation of Korea and collected on March 2017 were used. Subjects of this study are 854 survey participants residing in 15 districts of South Korea. They are 480 young people aged from 18 to 44 and 374 middle-aged people aged from 45 to 64. T-test, Chow test and Multiple Regression Analysis by SPSS were conducted for the data. These are the results. Both the young and middle-aged people have a similarly high level of stigma against older adults. However, there are significant differences in the variables affecting the level of stigma against older adults between the two age groups. Two common variables affecting stigma against older adults in young and middle-aged people are the recognition of how older adults are depicted in media and age flexibility. The better they recognize discrimination against older adults in media and what an age flexible society is like, the stronger stigma against older adults they tend to have. On the other hand, sex, average monthly income and the opinion on how people treat older adults in their community are significant variables only for the young people. And living district is a significant variable only for the middle-aged people. The significance of this study is that it conceptualized 'stigma' as a cause for discrimination against older adults and focused on the stigmatizing subject, who are the young and middle-aged people, not the stigmatized subject, who are older adults in order to find solutions for lowering stigma against older adults.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.309-328
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to develop a perceived elderly stigma scale for intergenerational research and practice. Although negative stereotypes on elderly population have worsened physical and psychological health of older people, there has been a lack of systematic efforts to measure and monitor stigmatic perception and behavior of younger generation on elderly people. We initially constructed a 34-item perceived elderly stigma scale, by integrating the processes of literature review and exploratory item generation. After confirming the face validity of the scale, a 31-item perceived elderly stigma scale was tested with 252 adults recruited from an online research panel. The result of an exploratory factor analysis suggests a 5-factor solution with 28 items: ability, personality, appearance, authoritarian dependancy, and family-obsession. The convergent/discriminant validity was confirmed by examining its relationships with ageism, elderly discrimination, attitude toward elderly, and respect for elderly. After a series of refinement and empirical tests, the perceived elderly stigma scale would contribute to understanding the current state of elderly discrimination in our society and to develop necessary policies and promotion strategies to eliminate intergenerational conflicts.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.203-223
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• 2018

This study examined the validity and the reliability of the perceived elderly stigma scale. Moreover, we investigated the relationships between the perceived elderly stigma and demographic factors (age, gender, education, and income). The initial scale consisted of 5 factors (ability, personality, appearance, authoritarian dependency, and child-obsession) and 28 items. In order to test the validity and the reliability of the scale, this study conducted a survey with 693 adults aged 18 to 65. Based on the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the scale was modified to 5 factors (ability, personality, appearance, authoritarian dependency, and child-obsession) and 15 items and its convergent validity and discriminant validity were confirmed. In terms of the relationships between the perceived elderly stigma and demographic factors, age had a negative relationship with the "ability" stigma, and education was a negatively associated with the "appearance" stigma.

• 한국노년학
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.505-525
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• 2021

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to examine how the phrase "old person" are expressed and used in the online sphere. Based on the theoretical concept of stigma, this study investigates the images and attitudes in society toward the elderly, and the characteristics of hate speech aimed at the elderly. Method. This study conducted text mining based on social big data using anonymous conversations. Results. It was confirmed that the elderly images shared online were generally negative. The attitudes expressed toward them also tended to be negative due to the negative images that are propagated of the elderly. The hate speech relating to the elderly, in usages such as 'Teul-ttag' and 'Kon-dae', were mainly identified in comments that negatively evaluate the elderly, and these expressions demonstrate the depth of hate and discrimination towards the elderly who are considered burdensome by young people. Interestingly, the hateful expressions towards the elderly were found more with regard to issues related to politics and economics and not just any content about the elderly. Conclusions. This study discussed the ways and means to enhance inter-generational understanding and solidity.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.164-174
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the rural elderly suicide literacy level upon suicide stigma and coping advice with suicidal crises (recommending professional help for a suicidal person). In particular, this study investigates the role of cultural norms (perceived social expectations for the experience of negative emotions) on suicide stigma and coping ability. Methods: A survey was conducted addressing elderly people (N=119) living in rural areas. Regression analysis using SPSS PROCESS macro was used to examine the relationships among the key variables. Results: Participants with higher suicide literacy showed lower suicide stigma, and this perception had a significant effect on enhancing their coping advice with suicidal crises. Also, perceived social expectations significantly influenced the relationship between suicide stigma and coping advice. With lower levels of social expectations, the mediating effect of suicide stigma on the relationship between suicide literacy and recommending professional help did not exist whereas the indirect effect was significant when it pertained to high levels of social expectations. Conclusion: This result signifies that suicide stigma serves as a barrier deterring Koreans from reaching out for professional help regarding their mental health. Moreover, these findings underscore the importance of cultural psychological factors such as perceived social expectations in terms of developing suicide prevention strategies.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.365-383
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• 2018

The purposes of this study were to investigate the perceived level of aging anxiety and the variables affecting the perception of aging anxiety by three different age groups and to find out what alternatives should be socially prepared to lower aging anxiety. We used survey data collected from 1,017 adults who are aged 18 and over and the subjects were divided into three age groups: 18-44 age group, 45-64 age group, over 65 age group. ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were performed to answer the research questions. Major findings of this study were as follows: 1) There was no difference in the perceived level of aging anxiety according to each age group, 2) 'perceived elderly stigma' was found to affect the perceived level of aging anxiety in all age groups, 3) 'perceived maximum age possible to work' was influencing the perceived level of aging anxiety in 18-44 age group and 45-64 age group, 4) 'perception of fairness to the operation of social systems' was a statistically significant variable for the perceived level of aging anxiety in the 45-64 age group and over 65 age group, 5) 'perception of age integration' and 'aging-friendly environment' variables had significant effects on the perceived level of aging anxiety only in over 65 age group. Suggestions for reducing the perceived level of aging anxiety have been proposed.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.157-170
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• 2011

The purpose of this article is to examine how the 'bodily culture' of older men who gather at Jongmyo Park serves to express and solidify their sense of a enduring self. The research was carried out based on the anthropological methods of participant observation and in-depth interviews at Jongmyo park and its adjacent areas. In later life, the image of a continuous self becomes harder to achieve due to the ageism prevalent in modern societies. The situation is worse at Jongmyo park since the park itself has been stigmatized as "the extraterritorial zone for the old" by the media due to the boisterous atmosphere of the park. It is dubbed as a place for those who have nowhere else to go. The singing and dancing, which used to be the dominant forms of activities at the park among older men until the 'sanctification' project propelled by the government, serves as an antidote against the ageist tendency to subjugate them. The 'bodily culture' embodies these men's image of themselves as a continuous being which has not been tarnished by the passage of time. The approach of 'body hermeneutics' is required to interpret the experiences of the body in later life.