Institute for Health and Aging, University of California, San Francisco.
School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2019 Jun 14;74(5):897-907. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbx064.
Elder emotional/psychological abuse is the infliction of mental anguish on older adults through verbal or non-verbal acts. Using indicators based on existing literature, theoretically important abuser characteristics and victim vulnerabilities were collected using the Elder Abuse Decision Support System (EADSS) to test a theory of emotional/psychological abuse.
Eight-hundred-and-ten alleged emotional/psychological abuse cases were investigated by caseworkers in six Illinois adult protective services (APS) agencies; 466 individuals endorsed at least one item on the Older Adult Psychological Abuse Measure (OAPAM).
Bivariate ordinary linear regression results established that all abuser characteristics were predictive of emotional/psychological abuse scores. In the hierarchical regression model where abuser characteristics were entered after victim vulnerabilities, abuser characteristics predicted emotional/psychological abuse above and beyond victim vulnerabilities (ΔR2 = 0.349, p < .001). Abuser risk and abuser's negative attitudes towards victims remained as significant predictors in the final model. Post hoc analysis identified significant items of abuser risk and negative attitudes, including: an emotionally draining relationship between abuser and victim, abuser's poor temper control, and abuser's angry feelings towards victims.
Abuser weaknesses and strengths as highlighted in the theoretical framework should be further investigated for future prevention and intervention in cases of emotional/psychological abuse.
老年情感/心理虐待是指通过言语或非言语行为对老年人造成精神痛苦。本研究使用基于现有文献的指标，通过老年虐待决策支持系统（EADSS）收集了理论上重要的施虐者特征和受害者脆弱性，以检验情感/心理虐待理论。
6 家伊利诺伊州成人保护服务机构的个案工作者调查了 810 名疑似情感/心理虐待的病例；466 名个体在老年心理虐待量表（OAPAM）上至少有一项得分。
双变量普通线性回归结果表明，所有施虐者特征均与情感/心理虐待得分相关。在施虐者特征在受害者脆弱性之后输入的层次回归模型中，施虐者特征在受害者脆弱性之外预测了情感/心理虐待（ΔR2 = 0.349，p <.001）。施虐者风险和施虐者对受害者的负面态度仍然是最终模型中的显著预测因素。事后分析确定了施虐者风险和负面态度的显著项目，包括：施虐者和受害者之间情感上的消耗关系、施虐者脾气控制差和施虐者对受害者的愤怒情绪。
理论框架中强调的施虐者弱点和优势应进一步研究，以预防和干预情感/心理虐待案件。
