The Effectiveness of a Virtual Intergenerational Activity for Reducing Younger and Older Adults' Ageism

We examined whether a virtual intergenerational activity was feasible and effective for reducing ageism among older (OA) and younger adults (YA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. OA (n = 16) and YA (n = 15) completed a virtual intergenerational activity, and analysis was conducted for a subsample (n = 5 OA, n = 10 YA) who completed pretest-posttest ageism surveys. Paired samples t-tests showed no significant ageism change in attitudes toward OA. OA's ageist attitudes toward YA (p = .012) were significantly reduced. Open-ended responses revealed several themes (e.g., challenging stereotypes). Preliminary evidence demonstrated the feasibility of this activity. A larger sample size is needed to better determine efficacy.