Citation

Chang ES, Monin JK, Isenberg N, Zelterman D, Levy BR. Stigma Health 2023; 8(1): 40-48.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/sah0000370

PMID

37092028

PMCID

PMC10120856

Abstract

Elder abuse affects one in six older persons globally. Three limitations impede progress in prevention: most research is victim- rather than perpetrator-based; the reliance on explicit, self-reported factors; and failure to account for psychological factors, such as dehumanization, that motivate abuse. The current study addressed these gaps by examining whether implicit and explicit dehumanization of t could explain elder abuse proclivity. In a web-based survey of 585 family caregivers of older persons, dehumanization was found to be prevalent with 51% of the caregivers implicitly and 31% explicitly dehumanizing older persons. As predicted, implicit and explicit dehumanization contributed to elder abuse proclivity (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.02-1.50, p =.03) and (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.05-1.51, p =.01), respectively, after adjusting for relevant covariates including caregiver burden, and caregivers' and care-recipients' health. Developing caregiver-based interventions to humanize older persons may complement ongoing efforts in reducing elder abuse.

Language: en

Keywords

violence prevention; elder abuse; ageism; family caregiving; negative age stereotypes