Children's attitudes toward elderly individuals: a comparison of two ethnic groups.

The present study investigated the attitudes of Indian and American children toward elderly people. The "Children's Attitudes Toward the Elderly" questionnaire was used to measure how children perceived elderly people. Chi-square analyses indicated that children of Indian origin gave behavioral responses more often than affective or cognitive ones, while American children were more affective in their responses to questions about their interactions with elderly individuals. The results indicated that Indian children though born and raised in America were encouraged to follow the traditional values of their families' culture. Further research should include actual observations of children from different ethnic backgrounds interacting with elderly people.