Predictors of Fear of Dementia Among Adults Direct Original Research

Main Article Content

Amber V. Rusch
Julie Hicks Patrick

Keywords

Moderated Regression, Allophilia, Dementia Fear

Abstract

Introduction: Previous work has examined fear of dementia among younger adults;8 however, less is known about such associations across age. Thus, the current study expanded on such work by assessing objective knowledge, personal experiences, and allophilia as predictors of subjective fear of developing dementia.


Methods: Data from 300 adults (Mean age = 39.7) who completed measures of objective knowledge, personal experiences with persons with dementia, allophilia attitudes towards persons with dementia, and dementia fear. We examined a path model and tested age as a multigroup factor.


Results: The model fit the data well, , χ2 (DF = 1) = 0.45, p = .50; AGFI = .99; RMSEA = .00. Post hoc multigroup analyses with age revealed different processes contributing to dementia fear for those younger than and older than age 40 years.


Conclusions: Our results speak to the need to examine different predictors of dementia fear for different age groups. Additional investigations of moderators of dementia fear are needed in order to develop interventions to support potential caregivers across the life span.

Abstract 90 | PDF Downloads 60

References

1. Bernstein LE, Ebert AR, Hicks Patrick J. Ageism before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Translational Issues in Psychological Science. 2022;8(3):300-310. doi:10.1037/tps0000323
2. Byrne BM. Structural Equation Modeling with Mplus: Basic Concepts, Applications, and Programming. New York: Routledge; 2012.
3. Corner L, Bond J. Being at risk of dementia: Fears and anxieties of older adults. Journal of Aging Studies. 2004;18(2):143-155. doi:10.1016/j.jaging.2004.01.007
4. Ebert AR, Nehrkorn-Bailey A, Carney AK, Patrick JH. Best practices for educating the next generation to work with older adults. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development. 2020;91(4):359-361. doi:10.1177/0091415020937587
5. He, W., Goodkind, D., & Kowal, P. R. An aging world: 2015. 2016.
6. Interactive, H. What America thinks: MetLife foundation Alzheimer’s survey. New York, NY: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. 2011.
7. Kinney JM, Yamashita T, Brown JS. Measuring positive attitudes toward persons with dementia: A validation of the allophilia scale. Dementia. 2016;16(8):1045-1060. doi:10.1177/1471301216633247
8. Levy SR. Toward reducing ageism: Peace (positive education about aging and contact experiences) model. The Gerontologist. 2016. doi:10.1093/geront/gnw116
9. Nehrkorn-Bailey AM, Fiske A, Hash KM, Mei B, Patrick JH. Educating the MSTEM workforce to address the needs of aging societies: A call for best practices. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development. 2018;87(3):219-224. doi:10.1177/0091415018789460
10. Sauderbach CA, Dell DD, Fountain J, Boicka GJ, Slavia TA, Colin M. Function nutrients and protein ingestion. Res Directs in Health Sci. 2018;1(2). Doi: 10101020201342.
11. Stahl ST, Metzger A. College students' ageist behavior: The role of aging knowledge and perceived vulnerability to disease. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education. 2013;34(2):197-211. doi:10.1080/02701960.2012.718009