ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PERSONALITY OF VICTIM AND ELDER ABUSE

Abstract

AbstractElder abuse is a pervasive and significant public health issue. The relationship between personality of victims and elder abuse remains unclear in literature. This study aims to examine the association between neuroticism, conscientiousness, and elder abuse. Data were derived from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE), a community-engaged, population-based epidemiological study of 3,157 US Chinese older adults aged 60 and above in the greater Chicago area. Elder abuse was assessed by a ten-item instrument modified from the Hwalek-Sengstok Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S/EAST) and the Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS). Subtypes of elder abuse include psychological, physical, financial and sexual abuse, and caregiver neglect. The assessments of neuroticism and conscientiousness were derived from the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Logistic regression models were used. Higher neuroticism (OR: 1.18, 1.15–1.21) and lower conscientiousness (OR: 0.96, 0.95–0.98) were associated with higher risk of elder abuse. With respect to different forms of elder abuse, higher neuroticism was associated with increased risk of psychological abuse (OR: 1.17, 1.14–1.21), financial exploitation (OR: 1.04, 1.00–1.07), and caregiver neglect (OR: 1.08, 1.05–1.12). Higher conscientiousness was associated with higher risk of financial exploitation (OR: 1.02, 1.00–1.05) and lower risk of caregiver neglect (OR: 0.98, 0.96–1.00). This study added new insights to interventions on elder abuse by testing personality traits of victims. Intervention programs could modulate neuroticism and conscientiousness of elder abuse victims.