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Intergenerational programs: What can school-age children and older people expect from them? A systematic review

Author

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  • Caroline Giraudeau

    (Université de Tours)

  • Nathalie Bailly

    (Université de Tours)

Abstract

Over the past 40 years, there has been a growing trend for intergenerational initiatives worldwide. Intergenerational programs (IGPs) aim to facilitate cooperation and exchange among different age groups. While most studies highlight the benefits for each generation, the programs and study designs vary widely. We conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature between 2005 and 2015 to: (1) characterize and define the IGPs studied and (2) identify the benefits for school-age children and older people aged 60 years or over. First, 53 articles with defined keywords were collected from online databases. Then, using inclusion and exclusion criteria, 11 articles were selected. These were classified according to methodological quality and were analyzed one by one. The content of the programs varied: three involved artistic activities, three educational activities, one health, three open-ended activities, and one was organized around a citizen’s project. Concerning the benefits of IGPs for children and older adults, some studies highlighted significant differences in positive attitudes, behaviors, confidence, and competence for the children, and significant differences in mental and physical health, and quality of life for older adults. However, it should be noted that those benefits are not systematic. Our findings are discussed in the light of the meaningfulness of the activities and the role of IGPs, organization of the program, and participants’ knowledge of the other generation. Future studies may wish to consider searching for additional variables to further refine our understanding of the benefits for participants.

Suggested Citation

  • Caroline Giraudeau & Nathalie Bailly, 2019. "Intergenerational programs: What can school-age children and older people expect from them? A systematic review," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 363-376, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujoag:v:16:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s10433-018-00497-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10433-018-00497-4
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fiona Campbell & Rebecca Whear & Morwenna Rogers & Anthea Sutton & Jane Barlow & Andrew Booth & Andrew Tattersall & Louise Wolstenholme & Joanna Thompson‐Coon, 2024. "What is the effect of intergenerational activities on the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people?: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(3), September.
    2. Jason D. E. Proulx & Julia W. Van de Vondervoort & J. Kiley Hamlin & John F. Helliwell & Lara B. Aknin, 2023. "Are Real-World Prosociality Programs Associated with Greater Psychological Well-Being in Primary School-Aged Children?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-22, March.
    3. Matthias Kliegel & Susanne Iwarsson & Morten Wahrendorf & Nadia Minicuci & Marja J. Aartsen, 2020. "The European Journal of Ageing at the beginning of the Decade of Healthy Ageing," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 1-2, March.
    4. Jeremy Holloway & Owais Sayeed & Donald Jurivich, 2023. "Tellegacy: An Intergenerational Wellness and Health Promotion Project to Reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: A Feasibility Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(23), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Ling Xu & Noelle L. Fields & Zhirui Chen & Allen Zhou & Aditi Merchant & Anthony Zhou, 2022. "Big and Mini : A Promising Intergenerational Program for Social Connections," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Karl Pillemer & Julia Nolte & Leslie Schultz & Harry Yau & Charles R. Henderson & Marie Tillema Cope & Barbara Baschiera, 2022. "The Benefits of Intergenerational Wisdom-Sharing: A Randomized Controlled Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-15, March.
    7. Neda Norouzi & Jacqueline L. Angel, 2023. "Intergenerational Day Centers: A New Wave in Adult and Child Day Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-11, January.

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