Compromiso cívico de personas mayores en Chile: un análisis de perfiles latentes

Resumen

This study provides innovative empirical evidence on civic engagement (CE) among older adults in Chile through Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), a person-centered methodology rarely used in Latin American gerontology. Unlike previous research that reduces CE to associational indicators, this analysis simultaneously examines civic attitudes and behaviors, identifying four heterogeneous profiles: "civically disposed," "civically committed," "civically disconnected," and "civic agent." Findings demonstrate that CE in old age is not uniform but rather traversed by structural inequalities: gender, education, and political socialization trajectories shape differentiated forms of citizenship exercise. Older women show high civic attitudes but low behavioral participation, reflecting historical sub-citizenships. Profiles with greater engagement present significantly higher levels of generativity and empowerment, key dimensions of active aging (AA). These results pose direct challenges for public policies: it is necessary to move beyond recreational programs that render older adults invisible as political agents, design differentiated interventions according to identified profiles and create participatory spaces that recognize the heterogeneity of old age and transform favorable attitudes into instances of collective action.