Papel preditivo dos estereótipos negativos sobre o envelhecimento na autopercepção do envelhecimento em adultos mais velhos institucionalizados e não institucionalizados

Abstract

Introduction: Late adulthood, as a culturally organized stage, is recognized asthe great stage of life par excellence. Nevertheless, the fact that an "adult-centric" socialorder persists means that a world encompassed by stereotypies is in vogue, projecting agerontophobic social representation on late adulthood, impacting self-perceptions aboutaging. Nevertheless, the fact that an "adultocentric" social order subsists makes a worldencompassed by stereotypes that translate social representations about the typical traitsof a group, category or social class, projecting a gerontophobic social representationonto late adulthood, impacting self-perceptions about aging itself. Objectives: Toexplore the predictive role of negative stereotypes of aging on self-perception of agingin older adults and the relationship between these and sociodemographic and contextualvariables. Sample: The sample consisted of 242 portuguese older adults, aged 65 orover, who completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Negative StereotypesTowards Aging Questionnaire and the Aging Perceptions Questionnaire. Results:Statistically significant correlations were found between negative stereotypes and selfperceptions of aging, as well as a predictive role of negative stereotypes in negativeself-perception. In turn, these are more prevalent among females, individuals living inrural areas, institutionalized subjects and those who do not have training in the area ofaging. This trend was also revealed in those who have little intergenerational contact, aworse perception of health, in older adults aged over 75 years, in individuals who have aperception of early onset of this stage, in the illiterate, in polymedicated and in thosewho do not provide informal care. Conclusions: It is understood the need to implementinterventions aimed at promoting positive beliefs regarding aging, as well as reeducation about the processes inherent to this stage of the life cycle.

Date of Award	4 Mar 2022
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Berta Rodrigues Maia (Supervisor)