INTERGENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AGING ATTITUDES, AGING ANXIETY, AND FUTURE ANXIETY AS DETERMINANTS OF BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TOWARD OLDER ADULTS: A BAYES-IAN REGRESSION ANALYSIS

This study employs Bayesian linear regression to investigate determinants of behavioral intentions toward older adults among 211 participants (N=211), with an average age of 21.70 (SD=4.23). The research question explored the collective influence of future anxiety, frequency of intergenerational contact, perceived quality of intergenerational interactions, aging anxiety, and attitudes toward aging on individuals' willingness to engage in behaviors positively affecting older adults. Bayesian model comparison assessed predictive model fit for behavioral intentions and determinants. The 'future anxiety + contact frequency + contact quality + attitudes toward aging' model emerged as highly plausible (P(M|data) = 0.2187) with a substantial Bayes Factor (BF = 71.37). Coefficients analysis revealed influential factors: future anxiety (0.0688, CI [0.0130, 0.125]), contact frequency (0.3696, CI [0.0576, 0.682]), contact quality (0.2691, CI [0.1200, 0.418]), and attitudes (0.4969, CI [0.3958, 0.598]). Aging anxiety was not a significant predictor. Future anxiety exhibited a positive relationship with behavioral intentions, an unexpected finding suggesting that individuals experiencing higher future anxiety may exhibit a heightened motivation to engage, possibly through cognitive reappraisal mechanisms. Practical implications underscore the value of fostering positive interactions and tailoring interventions to individual traits.