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The purpose of this study was to provide an objective evaluation of older adults' self-assessed musical needs and preferences. Older adults were defined as individuals 65 and over. The survey and its analysis provided information from which recommendations have been made concerning musical experiences for this age group. The data for this study was obtained by means of a questionnaire which was administered to two hundred and seventy-six volunteer subjects. Eight sites in the Tucson, Arizona, area and four sites in Mansfield, Ohio, were used. The participants represented a cross-section of the 65-and-over age group. The questionnaire was divided into three parts: (1)personal data and past and present musical experience; (2)a twelve-minute listening preference assessment; (3)five areas of inquiries that included kinds of music classes desired, the meaning of music, individual music skills, music as a leisure-time pursuit, and participation in musical performances. Only a small percentage of the persons involved with the study were taking part in a musical activity, but a significant number of individuals indicated that they would participate under different circumstances. Their preferences were for afternoon classes, once a week, free, and in an age-segregated group. They also indicated that a music class would be a worthwhile and entertaining leisure-time pursit and would fulfill a need for meeting people with similar interests. Reluctance to go out at night, lack of transportation, and expense of programs were frequently given as reasons for non-participation in musical activities. Questionnaire respondents rated music "important" and stated that its importance had increased as they became older. The role of music was considered to be recreational and a personally fulfilling endeavor. The majority of older adults in the survey listen to music daily. The types of music they preferred, in rank order, were: popular, opera, folk, country, classical, jazz, non-Western music, and rock. Recommended areas for research concerning the role and use of music in gerontology might include: vocal versus instrumental music preferences; music education as a continuum throughout the life span; hearing loss of the elderly as it relates to music listening; and the relationship between educational attainment and partcipation in music activities. From the data presented in this study, it is clear that music is an important part of the life of the older adult. It is projected that in the year 2030 the 65-and-over age group will comprise 18.3% of the population. Society must begin to prepare for their needs. Government agencies, educational institutions, music educators and all interested individuals are encouraged to promote and develop music experiences for the aged.

This study focused on a 1978 teacher strike in the Tucson Unified School District, Pima County, Arizona, and was designed to explore patterns of perceptions and behaviors reported by teachers concerning their involvement in the strike. Teacher perceptions and behaviors were examined in terms of: viewpoints concerning the issues and causes of the strike; attitudes toward the act of striking; choice to either strike or not to strike and the differeing factors which may have influenced the strike decison; feelings of stress occasioned before, during, and after the strike; post-strike relationships with significant others in the school system; and feelings regarding the outcomes of the strike. To implement the research study, a questionnaire was developed to explore teacher attitudes, viewpoints, and reported behaviors regarding various aspects of the strike. The questionnaire was distributed by the Tucson Education Association through the Tucson Unified School District mail distribution system to all 2,751 teachers of the school district. A total of 1,728 teachers participated in the study by completing and returning the questionnaire, which represents approximately 63 percent of the population. Data for the study were derived from the questionnaire responses. The demographic data and strike behavior data were crosstabulated and their significance reported in terms of chi-square statistics. The chi-square indicated a significant relationship between teacher strike behavior and the following demographic variables: teaching level, age, sex, teacher tenure, total years teaching, membership in a professional organization, and spouse being a teacher in the district. Data regarding teacher perceptions and behavior were analyzed and summarized on the basis of the perceptual framework constructed for this study, which was drawn from the literature in social and perceptual psychology. Briefly it included the following five categories: Empathy; Acceptance; Stress; Adequacy; and Perceptual Framework. The following perceptions were reported by teachers regarding: Issues and Causes of the Strike: The reported issues of the strike were salary, discipline, fringe benefits, class size, teacher professionalism, and dignity. The teachers reported that the factors generating the strike were not the issues themselves, but rather the way the issues were handled by the school board, superintendent, and central administration. Influences Upon Strike Behavior: The greatest influence reported by teachers regarding their strike decision was the teachers' association, followed by teachers in their own schools, family, teachers outside their schools, the media, and building principal, in that order. Strike Stresses: Ninety percent of all respondents reported experiencing stress during the strike. Stress was greater among elementary teachers, female teachers, and non-striking teachers. Post-Strike Relationships: Teachers reported more harmonious relationships with fellow teachers and students in their schools following the strike. Teachers reported less harmonious relationships with their supervisors. Strike Perceptions: Teachers reported that the strike produced a greater sense of personal dignity for teachers. The recommendations of the study included the following: A school system should develop and maintain a deep philosophical commitment to the worthiness and dignity of all persons. A continuous and effective communication process should be developed whereby school district administrator and teacher representatives can meet and interact in an atmosphere where every person is encouraged to express his viewpoints. Teachers and school district officials should have an adequate set of board-adopted policies providing orderly processes for dealing with disputes and difference between them. The policy that is adopted should result from the widest possible participation of all concerned groups throughout the community and the school district. The school district, including the school board, administrators, and teaching staff should carefully plan and effectively implement a program for continuous improvement of human relationships throughout the district.

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