ABSTRACT
Ageing comes with some indicators including decline in functions of the
organs which take its
toll virtually on every aspect of wellbeing of the ageing person
particularly if this important
and inevitable phase of life is not prepared for. Right perception of the
concept of ageing is
no doubt, the very first and perhaps, most important step towards healthy
ageing. Positive
perception of ageing by teachers will improve the standard of most ageing
teachers and also
put them in the right frame of mind as they age. The present study
examined the Influence of
Psycho-social Variables on Perception of Ageing among Teachers in Anambra
and AkwaIbom states. Activity, Functionalist and Psycho-social theory of
personality guided the study.
The sample comprised four hundred and two teachers (402) in Anambra state
and five
hundred and three (503) teachers in Akwa-Ibom state selected through
multi-stage sampling
technique. Five research instruments namely Psycho-social Variables on
Perception of
Ageing Questionnaire (PSVPAQ); Brief Ageing Perception Questionnaire
(B-APQ); Selfesteem Scale (SES); Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SRAS) and Emotional
Adjustment Bank (EAB)
were used to collect data. Seven hypotheses were tested. Descriptive
statistics, Analysis of
Variance (ANOVA), Independent t-test, Multiple Regression and Pearson
Product Moment
Correlation were used for data analyses. The study confirmed that there
was significant
difference due to gender and state of origin in the perception of ageing.
It was also shown
that there was significant difference due to state of origin in ageing
stereotypes. There was
significant composite influence of societal roles, ageing stereotypes and
socio-economic
status on perception of ageing. Perception of ageing had significant
influence on emotional
adjustment. Perception of ageing significantly influenced the self-esteem
of teachers. Positive
perception of ageing had significant impact on the health status of
teachers. Finally, the
study showed that there was significant difference due to gender and
state of origin in ageing
anxiety. It was recommended among others that there is need for welfare
as well as
awareness packages for teachers to have healthy perception of ageing and adequately
prepare for such. Teachers’ gratuity and pension should be paid as soon
as they disengage
from service to enable them move into other areas of interest. Seminars
should be organized
for teachers periodically on issues of ageing to prepare their mind as
they advance in
chronological years.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background to the Study
Ageing and the ageing process are aspects of human experiences which
begin the moment a
person
is born. Each day that passes makes a person one day older. The older a person
becomes
the nearer the person moves to that stage of life in which everything in the
person’s
makeup
and functions decline. Ageing is an important phase of life as it signals our
gradual
final
exit from the planet earth. Ageing from this perspective is seen as ongoing,
starting at
conception
and ending with death. It occupies the total life span, not merely the final
stage of
life.
Kart and Kinney (2005) confirmed that without the knowledge and understanding
of the
entire
life span, it may be difficult to understand the events of anyone’s life phase.
In this
sense,
ageing is studied to learn not only about the final phase of life, but also
about youth
and
middle years as these stages determine to a large extent how people age and
their
perception
of ageing.
According
to Olajide and Ayantunji (2016) most people are frightened and not comfortable
to
hear
that they are ageing or growing old. This is simply because it tends to suggest
advancement
in age, decline in the function of the organs of the body, and loss of
flexibility,
decline
in hearing, vision and lessen of muscular strength, flexibility of the skin and
blood
vessels,
appearance of wrinkles on the skin, etc. Osunde and Obiunu (2005) asserted that
all
the
negative indicators which show decline in the functions of the body organs due
to ageing
make
many adults to feel uncomfortable to be associated with ageing. This feeling
affects
many
people psychologically and socially and this is experienced through fear and
anxiety
over
ageing and death, emotionally traumatized due to physical and psychological
changes
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