Date of Award

1986

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Abstract

The objective of this research was to investigate the level of alienation among a sample of aged respondents from East Baton Rouge Parish Council on Aging Senior Centers. The second objective was to determine if black aged respondents would be more alienated than white aged respondents, and the third objective was to determine the relationship between seven independent variables (RACE, EDUCATION, CHURCH WORK, LIVING ARRANGEMENT, VOLUNTEER WORK, INCOME and HEALTH RATING) and four subtypes of alienation (PERSONAL ISOLATION, GROUP ISOLATION, POWERLESSNESS and NORMLESSNESS). The sample was comprised to 200 respondents who were selected through a stratified random sampling procedure. The statistical techniques used were analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis. The study found that alienation existed to a significant degree among the aged respondents. The variable race was significant across four subtypes of alienation. Blacks were more alienated than whites for all subtypes. Income and health rating were found to be significant across each of the four subtypes. Respondents whose incomes were low were more alienated than those respondents whose incomes were high. Respondents who were in poor and fair health were more alienated than those who were in good or excellent health. The variable education was consistent across three subtypes of alienation (GROUP ISOLATION, POWERLESSNESS, and NORMLESSNESS). Respondents who had received less education were more alienated than respondents who had received higher levels of education. The social participation variable church work, did not prove to be significant for the four subtypes. Volunteer work was significant for the subtype group isolation. Living arrangement was significant for the subtype powerlessness. The multiple regression technique revealed that the independent variables health rating, race and education were the best predictor variables for alienation. The variable volunteer work was significant for the subtype group isolation. Income was significant for the subtype powerlessness. Health rating was revealed as being significant for the subtypes personal isolation, group isolation and normlessness. It was found not to be inversely related to alienation as hypothesized. Living arrangement and church work did not prove to be good predictors for any of the subtypes.

Pages

221

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.4225

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