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The face of universities is changing. Typically, undergraduates are comprised of adults who recently left high school and are attending college to get degrees to enter the job market. However, recent trends have indicated the increasing presence of older adults, those aged 25 and above who are either attending college for the first time or are returning students. These adults are described as nontraditional students. College students between the ages of 18 and 24 are referred to as traditional students. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2005) report indicated "by 2015, undergraduates of age 25 and older will be the growing population for higher education, with a related numeric decline in 18-21 year old undergraduate enrollment" (p. 9). AbstractThis article examines the role of intrinsic motivation in the academic pursuits of nontraditional students. The Academic Motivational Scale (AMS) was administered to 35 undergraduate students, 6 males and 29 females, aged 25 to 49 to explore their motivational orientations in choosing to attend college. The results of the study show that respondents endorsed more items of intrinsic motivation than extrinsic motivation or amotivation. Hence, the desire to demonstrate competence, a need for a sense of self determination, and the pleasure and satisfaction derived from the college experience played a greater role in nontraditional students' academic pursuits than the external rewards such as career advancement. This information is important for college administrators in developing programs that cater to the needs of nontraditional students and facilitate degree attainment.

Objective: This exploratory study sought to measure current self-reported experiences of older Saudi adults. Method: Self-reported aging perceptions and demographic data from semistructured questions were obtained from 52 community-dwelling older Saudi adults aged 50 or older. A thematic content analysis was completed around issues of family life/social support, daily/weekly activities, health and health programs, and older adults’ own thoughts about aging and the experience and future of personal aging. Results: Several key themes emerged from the interviews. The majority of respondents in this preliminary study acknowledge a preference for family care. Formal programs in Saudi Arabia are attended with relative infrequency while older adults recognize family support as the preferred method of support. Older Saudi interviewees hold a positive view of aging, but physical functioning, varying financial resources, and other daily obligations are a concern for those in this study. Discussion: Data suggest as the Saudi population ages, more research is needed on the aging experience with particiular emphasis on issues relevant to older adults . Future research must work to clarify the aging experience as cultural context changes.

A qualitative analysis was performed on responses of 51 participants to open-ended questions about the experience of being family caregivers for a loved one affected by Alzheimer's disease. Participants had been in the caregiver role for at least eight years. Results indicated a pattern of adapting successfully or unsuccessfully to the caregiver role, experiencing initial caregiver burden, finding relief in social support when available, and long-term distress or long-term positive change. Memories and feelings were strong about individuals and institutions that had been helpful or indifferent many years earlier as the caregivers struggled to cope with their unplanned predicament.

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A comparison of teacher-ratings and self-ratings of adolescents' social competency was investigated. One hundred five high school students completed the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS; Reynolds, 1987) and were divided according to their scores into three groups: the lowest quartile [low-depressive symptoms (LDS) group (n = 27)], the highest quartile [high-depressive symptoms (HDS) group (n = 28)], and the remainder. Students also rated themselves and were rated by their teachers on a social competency scale. A 2 (High- and Low-Depressive Groups) x 2 (Teacher-Ratings and Self-Ratings) ANOVA was conducted using social competency rating scores as the dependent variable. The two main effects were significant (p < .01). Adolescents with low-depressive symptoms rated themselves and were rated by their teachers as more socially competent than adolescents with high-depressive symptoms; additionally, self-ratings of social competency were higher than teacher-ratings. Results are discussed in the context of an adolescent optimistic bias or a teacher pessimistic bias.

This study considered two types of age discrimination (youth and elder) and related scale scores for 108 psychology students and 81 nursing students. The current study found that although the nursing students had a significantly larger number of courses related to aging, both nursing and psychology students reported low levels of age discrimination. Overall, attitudes of both the nursing and psychology students toward both young and elder populations were positive. Nursing students held higher levels of efficacy with regards to working with the elder population in comparison to psychology students.