Godkin M A, Wolf R S, Pillemer K A
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01605.
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1989;28(3):207-25. doi: 10.2190/WW91-L3ND-AWY3-R042.
This study examines factors which contribute to elderly abuse and neglect by caregivers in a domestic setting. Methodological and conceptual variations and problems in previous studies have led to considerable confusion as to the determinants of this important social problem. A more rigorous research design was used in this study than has been previously employed. Fifty-nine abused elders from a model project site for the study of elderly abuse were compared with forty-nine non-abused clients from a home care program in the same agency. Using a research instrument designed by the authors, data related to the following aspects of the lives of the elders and their caregivers were collected: psychological status, stressful life events, social networks, mutual dependency, and the nature of their relationships. The study indicates that members of abusive families are more likely to have emotional problems which contribute to interpersonal difficulties. Abused elders are not more dependent on caregivers for many of their daily needs. However, the abused elderly and their caregivers have become increasingly interdependent prior to the onset of abuse because of the loss of other family members, increased social isolation, and the increased financial dependency of the perpetrator on the elderly person.
本研究探讨了家庭环境中照顾者对老年人虐待和忽视行为的影响因素。以往研究在方法和概念上的差异及问题，导致了对这一重要社会问题的决定因素存在相当大的困惑。本研究采用了比以往更为严谨的研究设计。将来自一个虐待老人研究示范项目地点的59名受虐老人与同一机构家庭护理项目中的49名未受虐客户进行了比较。使用作者设计的研究工具，收集了与老人及其照顾者生活的以下方面相关的数据：心理状态、应激性生活事件、社会网络、相互依赖以及他们关系的性质。研究表明，虐待家庭的成员更有可能存在导致人际困难的情感问题。受虐老人在许多日常需求方面并不更依赖照顾者。然而，由于其他家庭成员的离世、社会隔离加剧以及施虐者对老人经济依赖的增加，受虐老人及其照顾者在虐待行为发生前变得越来越相互依赖。
