Functional Decline and Emotional Elder Abuse Victimization Among Older Korean Adults

Objectives: Because elder abuse is an increasingly prevalent issue in South Korea, the current study examines the association between functional impairments and emotional abuse victimization in Korean adults 65 and older. We also examines the mediating roles of family-level resources (i.e., older adult’s self-esteem, family cohesion, family support, contact with friends/neighbors, and participation in social activities) in the aforementioned association.

Methods: The final study sample consisted of 9,691 community-dwelling older Koreans aged 65 and older from a population-based survey – the 2009 Survey of Elderly Care and Welfare Need. We conducted a generalized structural equation modeling to analyze the mediational hypothesis.

Results: About 11% of the study sample reported experiencing emotional abuse by a family member in the past year (n = 1,082). The results of the mediational analysis showed that greater ADL/IADL limitations were associated with a) reduced self-esteem and b) receiving more support, which were ultimately associated with increased risk of emotional abuse victimization.

Discussion: Elder abuse is a family crisis that may occur as a result of maladaptation to the heightened long-term care needs of older family members. Practitioners should take into account older adults’ vulnerability in terms of the loss of family-level resources in the face of functional decline. This study further supports the importance of relieving the burden of family caregivers to avoid the incidence of emotional elder abuse.