Theoretical approaches to elder abuse: a systematic review of the empirical evidence

Abstract

Purpose The study of theoretical models explaining elder abuse has been one of the main gaps in the literature of the field. The extent of support of each theory is not clear. This study aims to conduct a systematic review to examine research supporting or opposing six theories of elder abuse: caregiver stress theory, social exchange theory, social learning theory, bidirectional theory, dyadic discord theory and the psychopathology of the caregiver. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts a systematic review of the literature. Seven databases were searched six times using different keywords about each theory. Findings This paper finds 26,229 references and then organised and analysed these references using pre-established criteria. In total, 89 papers were selected, which contained 117 results of interest; these papers were summarised and assessed for conceptual, methodological and evidence quality. The results showed evidence in favour of all the explored theories, except for social learning theory, whose results indicate multiple interpretations of the theory. This study finishes this paper by proposing that each of these theories might explain different facets of elder abuse and that more research is necessary to understand how the predictions of these different theories interact. Originality/value This paper presents an extensive review of the literature on theoretical explanations of elder abuse. The findings can be of value for selecting theories for prevention programmes or providing a summary of the evidence for researchers and practitioners interested in the theoretical explanation of elder abuse.

Critical Age Theory: Institutional Abuse of Older People in Health Care

“…A recent review identified thirteen theories of elder abuse [15], although "…it is unlikely that any single theoretical perspective could explain all forms and situations [of abuse]" [16]. As with any social interaction, there are many variables, and some variables might be more prominent than others in some situations.…”

Resilience as a protective factor against elder abuse by family caregivers: findings from a cross-sectional study in Hong Kong

“…The development of effective interventions relies heavily on an understanding of the causes and predictors of elder abuse (Pillemer et al , 2016), and the importance of identifying risk and protective factors has been highlighted in the recent global mega-map project commissioned by the WHO (Mikton et al , 2022). While there are many existing theories explaining elder abuse, caregiver stress theory is the most widely adopted when accounting for caregiver abuse (Fundinho et al , 2021). The central premise of caregiver stress theory is that caregiving is a stressful situation, and the theory posits that elder abuse happens when an overburdened caregiver unleashes his or her negative emotions on the care recipient (Pillemer and Wolf, 1986).…”

“…Caregiver burden, the multi-faceted strain perceived by caregivers when providing care, may emerge from different stressors. For example, they may be individual factors such as personal health problems and coping skills; care recipient factors such as agitated or disruptive behaviours and high levels of dependency; or environmental factors such as financial difficulties and social isolation (Fundinho et al , 2021). Chronic exposure to burden can result in detrimental health consequences (Mahoney et al , 2005), which may then lead to poor caregiving quality and greater risks of committing abuse (Given et al , 1999).…”

Moral intuitions, social skills and elder abuse: exploring a social exchange hypothesis

“…There are multiple theoretical approaches to elder abuse. A recent systematic review listed 13 theories referenced as explanations of elder abuse (Fundinho et al , 2021b). This review looked for empirical evidence supporting six of these theories and found that most theories have empirical support.…”