Domestic Violence, Mental Health, and Resilience Among Older Adults in the U.S. During COVID-19.

Abstract

The current study based on the Stress Process Model investigated the impact of experiences of domestic violence on mental health as well as resilience against negative mental health outcomes among older adults in U.S. during COVID-19. Participants included 522 older adults (ages 51-80 and older) living in US at the time of the survey. Path analysis using Mplus was employed. Results:The experience of domestic violence among older adults during the pandemic was positively associated with loneliness and anxiety directly and indirectly. However, resilience acted as a protective factor between the experiences of domestic violence and anxiety. Conclusion: The experience of domestic violence may increase loneliness and anxiety among older adults during challenging times; however, resilience may weaken these negative psychological outcomes both directly and indirectly. Findings and implications are discussed.