Citation

Roh S, Burnette CE, Lee KH, Lee YS, Easton SD. J. Gerontol. Soc. Work 2016; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

e Assistant Professor, School of Social Work , Boston College , 140 Commonwealth Avenue, McGuinn Hall, Room 207, Chestnut Hill , MA 02467 .

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/01634372.2016.1214659

PMID

27440061

Abstract

Research on depression and intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by Indigenous older adults is virtually non-existent. Given the associations between IPV and depression in the general population, along with disproportionately higher rates for each problem among Indigenous peoples due to historical oppression, understanding their interconnections is highly important. The purpose of this inquiry is to examine how IPV and social support are associated with depressive symptoms for Indigenous older adults. Since existing studies on IPV in later life are mostly based on female samples, we expand the knowledge base by including older men. The two hypotheses posed for this study include: (1) The levels of psychological aggression, physical aggression, sexual coercion, and injury will be positively associated with depressive symptoms and (2) levels of social support will be negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Hierarchical regression analyses of data from a sample of Indigenous older adults (N = 233) in the Upper Midwest indicated that physical aggression (but not psychological aggression, sexual coercion, injury or negotiation) was positively associated with depressive symptoms, and social support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first study on Indigenous older adults to examine the relationships between IPV, social support, and depressive symptoms. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Language: en