IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i6p3554-d773054.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Motivation to Participate in Intergenerational Programs: A Comparison across Different Program Types and Generations

Author

Listed:
  • Jiska Cohen-Mansfield

    (Minerva Center for Interdisciplinary Study of End of Life, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel
    Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel
    The Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel
    Igor Orenstein Chair for the Study of Geriatrics, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 39040, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6139001, Israel)

Abstract

Much research has attested to the benefits of intergenerational programs (IGPs) for older and younger participants, but there is a lack of understanding about what motivates them to participate and to persevere. We conducted structured interviews with 83 older (mean age = 77) and 96 younger (mean age = 23) participants who participated in 13 IGPs in Israel, some involving specific topics, and some providing assistance to older adults. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyzed differences in motivation across generations and program types and compared initial and ongoing motivation to participate. We found differences regarding motivation by age group and program type: Among older participants, interest in the specific subject was a more prevalent motivation in topic-focused groups, while receiving support was more common in assistance groups. Among young persons, motivations relating to obligation, such as receipt of a financial scholarship, and the wish to help others were the most prevalent motivators. Ongoing motivation was often explained by positive intergenerational relationships and enjoyment. For older adults, offering more diverse topic-focused activities may motivate greater participation. For young adults, integrating IGPs within more and different settings, and promoting IGPs as opportunities to help others are potential motivators.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiska Cohen-Mansfield, 2022. "Motivation to Participate in Intergenerational Programs: A Comparison across Different Program Types and Generations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-11, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3554-:d:773054
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3554/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3554/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tan, E.J. & Tanner, E.K. & Seeman, T.E. & Xue, Q.-L. & Rebok, G.W. & Frick, K.D. & Carlson, M.C. & Wang, T. & Piferi, R.L. & McGill, S. & Whitfield, K.E. & Fried, L.P., 2010. "Marketing public health through older adult volunteering: Experience corps as a social marketing intervention," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(4), pages 727-734.
    2. Anna SundströmPhD & Annelie Nordin Adolfsson & Maria NordinPhD & Rolf AdolfssonMD & Nicole AndersonPhD, CPsych, 2020. "Loneliness Increases the Risk of All-Cause Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 75(5), pages 919-926.
    3. Jiska Cohen-Mansfield, 2021. "In the Eye of the Beholder: The Impact of Intergenerational Programs from the Perspectives of Their Different Stakeholders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-9, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Finlay, Jessica & Esposito, Michael & Langa, Kenneth M. & Judd, Suzanne & Clarke, Philippa, 2022. "Cognability: An Ecological Theory of neighborhoods and cognitive aging," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    2. Endang Sulaeman & Bhisma Murti & Waryana Waryana, 2018. "Social Marketing on Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program in Pati, Central Java, Indonesia," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 10(4), pages 100-100, April.
    3. Anagha Kumar & Joel Salinas, 2021. "The Long-Term Public Health Impact of Social Distancing on Brain Health: Topical Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-13, July.
    4. Mao Shibata & Tomoyuki Ohara & Masako Hosoi & Jun Hata & Daigo Yoshida & Naoki Hirabayashi & Yukiko Morisaki & Taro Nakazawa & Akane Mihara & Takuya Nagata & Emi Oishi & Kozo Anno & Nobuyuki Sudo & To, 2021. "Emotional Loneliness Is Associated With a Risk of Dementia in a General Japanese Older Population: The Hisayama Study [Intimate relationships buffer suicidality in national guard service members: A," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 76(9), pages 1756-1766.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3554-:d:773054. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.