The Influence of Perceived Social Support on Korean American Older Adults’ Help-Seeking Behaviors Toward Adult Protective Services

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Asian American victims of elder mistreatment (EM) encounter challenges when seeking help from formal sources due to cultural barriers (Chang, 2016; Lee & Shin, 2010). Collectivism is emphasized in Asian culture. Thus, when Asian older adults have social support system that approves to use formal EM resources, they might be willing to access them. Chinese older adults in the U.S. who perceived to have social support were more likely to seek formal EM help (Chao et al., 2022). Yet, little is known about other Asian groups’ EM help-seeking behaviors. Focusing on Korean American older adults (KAOA), the fifth largest Asian group, we attempt to fill the knowledge gap by examining the relationships between perceived levels of social support and the intention to seek help from Adult Protective Services (APS).

METHODS: The current study data include 151 Koreans who were 60 years old and older selected from a larger EM study, in which 495 community-dwelling Asian American older adults participated across four states in the U.S. between 2013 and 2015,

The dependent variables, intention to seek help from the APS if the older adults experienced each type of EM (physical, financial, emotional, and sexual mistreatment and neglect) were dichotomously measured (0=unlikely and 1= likely to seek APS help). The levels of perceived social support from a special person, family, and friends were measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale (Zimet et al., 1990). Demographic and acculturation variables were included in the models as control variables. The study used Logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS: The overall logistic regression models were significant for two dependent variables; intention to seek help from APS if KAOA experienced financial mistreatment (χ²(8) = 19.74, p < .05, Nagelkerke R²= .168) and sexual mistreatment (χ²(8) = 19.46, p < .05, Nagelkerke R²=.163). The likelihood of seeking help from APS in case of financial and sexual EM was 1.80 (95% CI: 1.249-2.606, p < .01) and 1.77 (95% CI: 1.235-2.524, p < .01) times higher, respectively, for KAOA who perceived higher levels of support from a special person. However, those with higher levels of family support had higher chance of not seeking APS help if they experienced sexual mistreatment (OR= .667, 95% CI:.455-.979, p < .05). Gender was the only control variable that predicted both dependent variables. Females had higher odds of seeking APS help if they experienced financial mistreatment (OR= 3.271, 95% CI:1.502-7.122, p < 0.01) and sexual mistreatment (OR=2.796, 95% CI: 1.313-5.952, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Study findings suggest the importance of having social support for KAOA to seek help from APS. Particularly, support from someone whom they perceive to be special for them was a significant predictor for approaching APS. Having greater family support prevented KAOA from seeking APS help in case of sexual mistreatment. Social workers assisting KAOA should carefully assess how different sources of social support affect the older adults’ decision to seek help from APS, considering their culture.