Abstract

This study was aimed at exploring the possible dimensions of attitude toward the elderly and the aging processes of the middle-aged Korean people through the factor analysis. Total of 508 respondents, 254 for each sex respectively, ages from 30 to 49(Mdn=38yrs)were recruited in Seoul. The preliminary attitude inventory was consisted of 50 items concerning eleven different aspects as follows: 1) biological aging 2) personality change 3) psychological adjustment and mental health 4) sensory and perceptual ability change 5) deterioration of learning abilities and performance 6) generation differences 7) family relations 8) retirement 9) senile / chronic diseases 10) attitude toward death and dying and 11) misellaneous. The principal-component factor analysis with varimax rotation shows the attitude of middle-aged toward the elderly and aging processes can be identified as following five factors: 1) positive aspects of family relations 2) negative changes in behavior characteristics 3) deterioration of abilities 4) rigidity and social disengagement 5) negative aspects of everyday life events. Especially the factor of the positive aspects of family relation was discussed.