The Effects of Intergenerational Exchange among Middle-Aged Adults on Attitudes toward Aging: The Dual Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem and Ageism

This study analyzed data from 200 middle-aged adults, aged 50 to 64, with equal numbers of men (n=100) and women (n=100).Using SPSS 24.0 and the PROCESS macro, we examined the dual mediation effects of self-esteem and ageist attitudes in the relationship between intergenerational interaction and aging attitudes.Reliability and correlation analyses were conducted to assess the measurement tools and detect multicollinearity.The results revealed several significant findings.First, intergenerational interaction was higher among married participants and those reporting positive family relationships.Self-esteem was significantly higher among men, married individuals, those with higher educational attainment, and participants with favorable economic and family relationships.In contrast, ageist attitudes were more prevalent among women.Aging attitudes were more positive among those with favorable economic and family conditions.Second, intergenerational interaction directly contributed to more positive aging attitudes in middle-aged adults.Third, the sequential dual mediation of self-esteem and ageist attitudes was statistically significant, indicating that these two psychological and social variables partially mediated the relationship between intergenerational interaction and aging attitudes.These findings highlight the academic significance of proposing an integrated model that explains changes in aging attitudes through the interplay of psychological factors and social attitudes.However, limitations should be acknowledged, including the cross-sectional design, which limits causal inference, and potential biases in self-reported data.Future research should employ longitudinal designs, incorporate qualitative or observational methods, and conduct more detailed analyses by type of intergenerational interaction.