title: Is older adult care mediated by caregivers' cultural stereotypes? The role of competence and warmth attribution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to examine, from the stereotype content model (SCM) perspective, the role of the competence and warmth stereotypes of older adults held by professional caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental design, ex post facto with observational analyses, was used in this study. The cultural view on competence and warmth was assessed in 100 caregivers working in a set of six residential geriatric care units (three of them organized following a person-centered care approach and the other three providing standard geriatric care). In order to assess caregivers' cultural stereotypical views, the SCM questionnaire was administered. To evaluate the role of caregivers' cultural stereotypes in their professional performance as well as in older adult functioning, two observational scales from the Sistema de Evaluación de Residencias de Ancianos (assessment system for older adults residences)-RS (staff functioning and residents' functioning) were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers' cultural views of older adults (compared to young people) are characterized by low competence and high warmth, replicating the data obtained elsewhere from the SCM. Most importantly, the person-centered units predict better staff performance and better resident functioning than standard units. Moreover, cultural stereotyping of older adult competence moderates the effects of staff performance on resident functioning, in line with the findings of previous research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results underline the influence of caregivers' cultural stereotypes on the type of care, as well as on their professional behaviors and on older adult functioning. Caregivers' cultural stereotypes could be considered as a central issue in older adult care since they mediate the triangle of care: caregivers/older adults/type of care; therefore, much more attention should be paid to this psychosocial care component.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain.
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ballesteros
authors.affiliation: Social Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bustillos
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain; Psychology Department, Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM), Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santacreu
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Health Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain.
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schettini
authors.affiliation: Matia Instituto Gerontológico, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Pura
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Díaz-Veiga
authors.affiliation: Social Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huici
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D054521:Cultural Competency; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D066252:Sociological Factors; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: caregiver functioning; cultural stereotypes; older adult functioning; person-centered care vs standard care; stereotype content model