Suman Kanougiya, V Oviya, M Dhanush, R Swetha, B Vishali, A Surendhar, R Dharani, S Baskaranpandi
{"title":"Detecting multidimensional elder abuse vulnerability in later life: validation of the VASS-12 screening tool in rural India.","authors":"Suman Kanougiya, V Oviya, M Dhanush, R Swetha, B Vishali, A Surendhar, R Dharani, S Baskaranpandi","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2582868","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2582868","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Elder abuse in India is understudied, particularly in rural areas. Psychological and rights-based forms of harm are less visible and rarely screened among elderly. This study validated the 12-item Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS-12) among 413 older adults (aged 60+) in rural South India. The scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (α = 0.81) and a robust three-factor structure capturing dependency and control, violation of rights, and psychological vulnerability. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported good model fit (SRMR = 0.053), and Item Response Theory (IRT) findings indicated moderate to very high discrimination for most items. Known-groups validity was confirmed by higher scores among older adults living alone and those aged 75 or above. Convergent validity was supported through associations with loneliness, depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. The VASS-12 offers a reliable, culturally appropriate, and context-sensitive tool for identifying abuse-related vulnerability in low-resource settings, with strong potential for use in elder health outreach and support services.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"144-172"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145543101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Min Qian, Jinghong Lv, Mengying Deng, Chenming Guo, Mingming Yu
{"title":"Frailty and self-neglect among community-dwelling older adults: a multiple-group structural equation modeling analysis.","authors":"Min Qian, Jinghong Lv, Mengying Deng, Chenming Guo, Mingming Yu","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2026.2631479","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2026.2631479","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to investigate the association between frailty and self-neglect and to examine the mediating roles of social networks and depression in this relationship among community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed, with a sample of 521 individuals aged 60 years and older recruited from community settings between July 2021 and February 2022. Analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Amos 21.0. Structural equation modeling revealed that physical frailty (PE = 0.054) and cognitive frailty (PE = 0.148) were directly associated with self-neglect, as well as indirectly linked through pathways involving social networks and depression. In contrast, overall frailty, psychological frailty, and social frailty exhibited only indirect associations with self-neglect, operating exclusively through these mediators. These findings underscore the importance of early identification of frailty and targeted interventions to strengthen social networks and address depressive symptoms, which may significantly improve the management of self-neglect and enhance well-being in aging populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147322427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jamie Bryant, Elise Mansfield, Nola Ries, Lisa Mackenzie, Penelope Webster, Caroline Kuhne, Lucy Leigh, Allison Boyes
{"title":"Use of clinical vignettes to assess health care professionals' identification and response to elder abuse in dementia care: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Jamie Bryant, Elise Mansfield, Nola Ries, Lisa Mackenzie, Penelope Webster, Caroline Kuhne, Lucy Leigh, Allison Boyes","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2026.2636518","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2026.2636518","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Elder abuse affects nearly 15% of older Australians, with those living with dementia at increased risk. This study explored how Australian health care providers identify and respond to different types of elder abuse using six hypothetical vignettes. An online cross-sectional survey (N = 130) evaluated identification and response to instances of elder abuse among geriatricians, general practitioners, and nurse practitioners. Rates of accurate identification were highest for physical (94.3%) and psychological abuse (91.5%), followed by sexual abuse (76.1%), neglect (72.3%), and financial abuse (72%). While most participants provided an appropriate response to psychological abuse, neglect, and financial abuse (100%, 100%, 97.8%), fewer reported an appropriate response to physical (37%) and sexual (67%) abuse. Older age was associated with lower identification accuracy for psychological and physical abuse. General practitioners were more likely to correctly identify neglect. Findings highlight important knowledge and response gaps, underscoring the need for targeted education and training.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147291341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yonsu Kim, Maxim Gakh, Seong-Min Park, Iulia Ioanitoaia-Chaudhry, Maryam Tabrizi, Hannah An, Ji Won Yoo
{"title":"Ameliorating risks of maltreatment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.","authors":"Yonsu Kim, Maxim Gakh, Seong-Min Park, Iulia Ioanitoaia-Chaudhry, Maryam Tabrizi, Hannah An, Ji Won Yoo","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2554114","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2554114","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although health care access among adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) improved in the past decade, persistent challenges still exist in obtaining care coordination and supportive services. As the life expectancy of individuals living with IDD increases and care succession occurs from family's community care to institutional care, the risk of maltreatment among adults with IDD is growing. Health conditions, for example, cognitive impairment pose a risk of maltreatment in adults with IDD. This commentary aims at addressing the contribution of these health conditions and better health care workforce training in order to ameliorate the risk of maltreatment among adults with IDD.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"122-127"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rachel Blance-Palmer, Marlena Klaic, Helen Rushford, Tania Celeste, Lynette Joubert
{"title":"Elder abuse: a scoping review of the hospital social work role.","authors":"Rachel Blance-Palmer, Marlena Klaic, Helen Rushford, Tania Celeste, Lynette Joubert","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2554115","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2554115","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Elder abuse is predicted to rise, and hospital social workers receive professional training to respond. A scoping review was conducted to map the breadth and extent of existing literature on hospital social worker roles in response to elder abuse. Key words searched across six databases and five journals were \"social work*,\" \"hospital*,\" \"elder*,\" \"abus*\" and their derivatives to identify relevant literature. Included literature was peer reviewed and published since 2000. A manual citation search was also undertaken. Thematic analysis and descriptive reporting followed. A total of 32 publications were included. These were predominantly from the United States, focused on the Emergency Department setting, and were not social work-specific research. Identified themes were 1) social workers as key members in the multidisciplinary team, 2) screening for abuse and responding in the Emergency Department 3) psychosocial assessments are important, and 4) service linkages are a key role of the social worker.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"99-121"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145034535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Detecting elder abuse in primary health care settings in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.","authors":"Ariunsanaa Bagaajav","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2593256","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2593256","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines the experiences of Mongolian family physicians in detecting elder abuse during medical encounters with older patients. Using thematic analysis, the study explores how physicians become aware of and respond to incidents of elder abuse. A total of 24 family physicians participated in semi-structured interviews. Four core themes, (1) encounters with elder abuse cases, (2) mechanisms of detection, (3) means of assistance, and (4) barriers to taking action, emerged from the analysis. The findings suggest that frequent interactions with older patients significantly influence physicians' overall identification of potential victims of elder abuse during their medical practice in primary care settings. The strategies used to assist potential victims during medical encounters vary widely. Barriers to reporting elder abuse cases are related to institutions, physicians, and patients. Significant measures for prevention of elder abuse in primary health care settings in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, are recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"53-70"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145606809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adult Protective services work with clients at the end of life: challenges and support needs.","authors":"Wei-Lin Xue, Joy Swanson Ernst, Pi Ju Liu","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2559666","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2559666","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adult Protective Services (APS) professionals frequently interact with clients who are seriously ill or dying as they investigate cases of elder abuse and self-neglect. This study explored the unique challenges and support needs of APS workers in these end-of-life contexts. Seven focus groups and one individual interview with APS professionals and individuals working closely with APS were conducted. Thematic analysis identified two overarching domains: (1) challenges - including family conflict, limited caregiver preparedness, client self-determination, challenges to service access, and emotional strain on professionals; and (2) support needed - such as improved interagency collaboration, peer and organizational support. Participants emphasized the emotional toll of witnessing client decline and death, and highlighted gaps in training, coordination, and workplace support. Findings highlight the need for targeted policy and practice reforms to better equip APS professionals addressing elder abuse and self-neglect at the end of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"71-98"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145034526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A crime script analysis of court-adjudicated sexual offenses perpetrated against older adults.","authors":"Madeline Lee, Emily Moir, Nadine McKillop","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2550686","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2550686","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sexual violence and abuse (SVA) against older adults remains an underexplored phenomenon. The dearth of research into how these crimes occur may mean opportunities for proactive prevention and intervention are potentially missed. To address current knowledge gaps, this study developed the first-known crime script for SVA against older people through analysis of 17 Australian court judgment texts (<i>n =</i> 19 events). Findings show that court-adjudicated incidents were often perpetrated by younger males (typically strangers), took place within the victim's home during the night, and were characterized by excessive violence and egregious sexual acts, despite active victim resistance. Importantly, an absence of guardianship, along with vulnerabilities in home security, were identified as key enablers of SVA perpetration in this sample. Situational crime prevention strategies (i.e. extend guardianship, target hardening) are recommended to strengthen preventative efforts and discourage SVA in these circumstances, thus ensuring older adults are adequately protected from potential harm.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"21-52"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enhancing the validity of social measures on human rights awareness: a dual-method approach integrating exploratory factor analysis and latent profile analysis.","authors":"Song-Iee Hong, So Youn Chung, Yoewon Yoon","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2550684","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2550684","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Licensed caregivers (LCs) are crucial in Korea's long-term care systems, ensuring the well-being of older adults. This study examines the human rights awareness of 1,050 LCs against a backdrop of increasing elder abuse in residential facilities. The study employed Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to assess multi-dimensional human rights awareness - spanning self-determination, anti-discrimination, individualized care, anti-abuse, and advocacy. We identified three dimensions: Person-Centered Care, Anti-Abuse, and Insensitive Care. LCs were categorized into five profiles: Basic Awareness (BAR), Sensitivity to Abuse Only (SOA), Unawareness (UHR), Sensitivity to Human Rights (SHR), and Unassertiveness in Advocacy Rights (UAR). Predominantly, LCs exhibited strong human rights sensitivity, falling into the SHR group, showing strong human rights sensitivity. The results underscore the necessity of targeted, ongoing education to bridge gaps in advocacy and comprehensive care, advocating for a personalized care approach in facilities for older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hümeyra Hançer Tok, Lütfiye Nur Uzun, Mehmet Karakaş
{"title":"A board game's impact on nursing students' knowledge about elder neglect and abuse: a randomized controlled educational intervention.","authors":"Hümeyra Hançer Tok, Lütfiye Nur Uzun, Mehmet Karakaş","doi":"10.1080/08946566.2025.2611157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08946566.2025.2611157","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of the study was to determine the effect of a board game on the level of knowledge among nursing students about older people neglect and abuse. This randomized controlled study included an experimental group that received a board game intervention and a control group that participated in case study discussions. Before the intervention, all students received a brief theoretical training on elder neglect and abuse. The Older People Neglect and Abuse Knowledge Test was used to collect data. The mean knowledge scores of nursing students in both groups increased after the intervention. The experimental group showed a significantly greater improvement in knowledge (pretest = 19.51 ± 1.8; posttest = 22.65 ± 1.5; d = 1.89) compared to the control group (pretest = 20.00 ± 2.6; posttest = 21.42 ± 2.2; d = 0.58) (<i>p</i> = .049, d = 0.65). Case studies and board games are both effective in increasing students' level of knowledge about older people abuse.</p>","PeriodicalId":46983,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect","volume":" ","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145858178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}