Karen Lowry Gordon

An Intergenerational Perspective on Grandparent Roles: Views of Young Parents and Middle-Age/Older Adults

Abstract This study provides an intergenerational perspective on grandparent roles. Data was collected from young parents (N = 105) and middle-age and older adults (N = 105). Both groups identified multiple roles as important for grandparents to initiate with young grandchildren: these included being a playmate as well as a friend, teacher, and role model. Intergenerational differences were also found with middle-age and older adults more likely than young parents to rank religious guide (p < .001) and family historian (p < .05) as important roles to enact with young grandchildren. However, the young parents were more likely than the older participants to predict that grandparents would be remembered by their grandchildren as fun, having high values, being a role model, and financially supportive (p < .001). Recommendations for future intergenerational research are recommended.

College students’ health attitudes, perceptions of restaurant menu items, and purchase intentions

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to assess college students’ health attitudes and determine if students’ perceptions of restaurant menu items’ healthiness, tastiness, and intention to purchase varied by their health attitudes. An expert panel of registered dietitians was used to rate the healthiness of 17 menu descriptions from a full-service, casual dining restaurant chain. The responses of 153 students to an online survey revealed students identified as having low health attitudes were more likely to rate unhealthier menu items as tastier and with a higher purchase intention compared to students with high health attitudes.