Unlocking the Age-Barrier: Mental Health Professional Capacities in Addressing the Needs of Aging Populations
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Ann Steffen
Final Abstract for URS Program
There is growing concern about an inadequacy in the level of preparedness of mental health professionals to address the unique needs of individuals aged 65 years and older. This raises doubts about whether clinicians possess the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively address mental health challenges within this population, which is particularly significant given the continuous growth in numbers of older adults within the United States. The explicit and implicit ageism perpetuated within our society dissuades mental health professionals from working with older adults, and may be compounded by broad dissemination of misinformation about aging. Data from three separate UMSL survey studies were pooled to examine knowledge of aging among licensed psychologists, social workers, and counselors (N= 665). Correlations examined the relationship between the Facts on Aging Quiz (Palmore, 1998; Breytspraak & Badura, 2015) and years since licensure, as well as various aging-related professional training experiences. Results reveal that social workers had the lowest scores on aging knowledge, significantly differing from those of psychologists and counselors. There were no significant differences between counselors and psychologists. Findings emphasize the need for interventions to improve the competence of mental health professionals, for future work with older adults across various behavioral health specialties.
Presentation Type
Visual Presentation
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
April 2023