Herrenkohl Todd I, Roberto Karen A, Fedina Lisa, Hong Sunghyun, Love Jasmine
School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Center for Gerontology & Institute for Society, Culture and Environment, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
Innov Aging. 2021 Aug 20;5(3):igab028. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igab028. eCollection 2021.
We examined the prospective association between 2 measures of child abuse, one based on official child welfare records and the other based on parent self-reports, and the perpetration of elder mistreatment by an adult child. We also examined measures of adolescent and adult depression and substance use problems as predictors of elder mistreatment.
Data are from a prospective study that began in the 1970s with a sample of children aged 18 months to 6 years of age. Analyses draw on data collected when child participants were in preschool and elementary school, when they were adolescents, and as adults at midlife (at ages 36 and 46, on average). Results are from bivariate correlations and multivariable path models in which variables from different life stages were entered in steps to assess their prediction of elder mistreatment.
All variables were significantly correlated with elder mistreatment. In a final path model, parent self-reports of physical child abuse remained a significant, unique predictor of elder mistreatment. Adolescent and adult substance use problems were also statistically significant.
Few longitudinal studies have tracked patterns of abuse over time and relationships. Findings suggest that child abuse is a risk factor for the perpetration of elder mistreatment by an adult child. Substance use problems may also increase the risk for the perpetration of elder mistreatment. Further longitudinal research is needed to replicate and extend these findings in order to advance prevention and intervention programs and policies.
我们研究了两种虐待儿童衡量指标与成年子女虐待老年人行为之间的前瞻性关联，其中一种指标基于官方儿童福利记录，另一种基于父母的自我报告。我们还研究了青少年和成年期抑郁及物质使用问题的衡量指标作为虐待老年人行为预测因素的情况。
数据来自一项始于20世纪70年代的前瞻性研究，样本为18个月至6岁的儿童。分析利用了儿童参与者在学龄前、小学、青少年时期以及中年（平均年龄36岁和46岁）时收集的数据。结果来自双变量相关性分析和多变量路径模型，在该模型中，不同生命阶段的变量逐步纳入以评估它们对虐待老年人行为的预测作用。
所有变量均与虐待老年人行为显著相关。在最终的路径模型中，父母对身体虐待儿童的自我报告仍是虐待老年人行为的一个显著且独特的预测因素。青少年和成年期的物质使用问题在统计学上也具有显著性。
很少有纵向研究追踪虐待模式随时间的变化及其关系。研究结果表明，虐待儿童是成年子女虐待老年人行为的一个风险因素。物质使用问题也可能增加虐待老年人行为的风险。需要进一步的纵向研究来复制和扩展这些发现，以推进预防和干预项目及政策。
