An Exploratory Study of Older Adults' Participation in Civic Action

Older adults are increasingly addressing issues facing their communities and larger society. This exploratory study examined the motivations and barriers to civic participation in a group of elders. Participants were divided into two groups-“activists” who considered themselves involved in social action, and “non-activists” who did not. Activists were more educated (p = 0.001), had higher incomes (p = 0.04), and were more likely to be female (p = 0.04) than non-activists. Regression analyses revealed that higher education was a significant predictor of perceived social activism (p = 0.01). By understanding the benefits of and challenges to civic participation, activities can be developed in ways that encourage and recognize involvement.