Abstract
Older adults are increasingly addressing issues facing their communities and larger society. This exploratory study examined the motivations and barriers to civic participation in a group of elders. Participants were divided into two groups-activists who considered themselves involved in social action, and non-activists who did not. Activists were more educated (p = 0.001), had higher incomes (p = 0.04), and were more likely to be female (p = 0.04) than non-activists. Regression analyses revealed that higher education was a significant predictor of perceived social activism (p = 0.01). By understanding the benefits of and challenges to civic participation, activities can be developed in ways that encourage and recognize involvement.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 65-75 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Clinical Gerontologist |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 25 2007 |
Keywords
- Activism
- Civic participation
- Older adults
- Volunteerism