The Role of Altruism and Personality Traits In Explaining Attitudes Towards The Elderly: A Comparative Study on Different Occupational Groups

The aim of this study is to examine the predictor role of altruism and personality traits in explaining the attitudes of candidates with the potential to work with elderly individuals. The sample of the study consists of 1419 university students studying in the programs of psychological counseling and guidance, elderly care and nursing. The study’s data were collected using Personal Information Form, Attitudes Towards Older People Scale, Ten-Item Personality Inventory, and the Altruism Scale. The variance described for the dependent variable was 11% for PCG, 8% for elderly care, and 22% for nursing in regression models created for each occupational group. Among the independent variables, altruism level and conscientiousness personality trait are significant predictors in explaining attitudes toward the elderly in all three programs.