AN INVESTIGATION OF A SIMULATION GAME AND THE EFFECTS OF GAMING ON NURSES AIDES' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ELDERLY IN LONG-TERM CARE.
Contributors: University of San Francisco.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 108
Subjects: Education, Educational Psychology.
Description: While there tends to be an increase in the body of literature devoted to staff attitudes toward the elderly in long term care, there exists an almost complete dearth of material on the nurses aide. Yet, the nurses aide provides the greatest percentage of direct care given to the long term care patient.

Twenty-six nurses aides from two long term care facilities were randomly assigned to one of two groups (experimental or control) in a pretest, posttest experimental design. The control group completed Kogan's "Attitude Toward Old People Scale (OP)" only; the experimental group participated in the simulation game "Into Aging" followed by a discussion and completion of Kogan's "Attitude Toward Old People Scale (OP)" pretest, posttest and three weeks later.

Non-parametric statistical tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated no significant difference of the experimental group scores on the OP scale at three time points. No significant difference was found between attitude scores and variables of age, ethnic background, education, length of time worked in a long term care facility and subjects who have lived with a family member or friend over 65.

A significant difference in the control group's pre to posttest scores showed a dramatic rise in the positive degree of OP attitudes.

Although the experimental group did not change on the OP scale, feedback by this group reported a better understanding of the aging process.

Subsequent studies might investigate innovative educational opportunities for the nurses aide and examine personality traits that foster positive attitudes toward the elderly.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-04, Section: A, page: 0903.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, 1987.

School code: 6019.