Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T22:07:32.018Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The dark side of family communication: a communication model of elder abuse and neglect

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 February 2013

Mei-Chen Lin*
Affiliation:
School of Communication Studies, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
Howard Giles
Affiliation:
Department of Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Mei-Chen Lin, PhD, School of Communication Studies, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44224-0001, USA. Phone: +1-330-672-0281; Fax: +1-330-672-3510. Email: [email protected].

Abstract

To further address the potential factors that lead up to elder abuse in domestic settings, this paper proposes a model from a communication approach to explain dyadic influences between the family caregiver and the elderly care receiver that give rise to the abuse. That is, dysfunctional communication between the caregivers and care receivers may, therefore, increase the likelihood of elder abuse. Grounded in Bugental and her colleagues’ work (1993, 1999, 2002) on child abuse, we propose a power-oriented communication model based, in part, on research in the fields of family violence and intergenerational communication to explain the likelihood of occurrence of elder abuse in family caregiving situations. We argue that certain risk factors pertaining to caregivers’ characteristics – those who perceive high stress in caregiving, have mental health issues, have a history of substance abuse, and/or display verbal aggressiveness – may be more likely to attribute considerable power to those elderly under their custodianship. At the same time, such caregivers tend to feel powerless and experience loss of control when interacting with their elderly counterparts. When an elderly care receiver displays noncompliant behaviors, caregivers may be prone to employ abusive behaviors (in our model, it refers to physical abuse, verbal abuse, or communication neglect) to seek such compliance. Consequences of such abuse may result in lower self-esteem or lower confidence in one's ability to manage his/her life. It is suggested that researchers and practitioners investigate both parties’ interactions closely and the role of elderly care receivers in order to detect, intervene, and prevent elder abuse.

Type
Special Issue Research Articles
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acierno, R.et al. (2010). Prevalence and correlates of emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse and potential neglect in the United States: the national elder mistreatment study. American Journal of Public Health, 100, 292297.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Afifi, W. A. and Guerrero, L. K. (2000). Motivation underlying topic avoidance in close relationship. In Petronio, S. (ed.), The Boundaries of Privacy: Dialectics of Disclosure (pp. 165180). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.Google Scholar
Amstadter, A. B.et al. (2011a). Do incident and perpetrator characteristics of elder mistreatment differ by gender of the victim? Results from the national elder mistreatment study. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 23, 4357. doi:10.1080/08946566.2011.534707.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Amstadter, A. B., Zajac, K., Strachan, M., Hernandez, M. A., Kilpatrick, D. G. and Acierno, R. (2011b). Prevelance and correlates of elder mistreatment in South Carolina: the South Carolina elder mistreatment study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 29472972. doi:10.1177/0886260510390959.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anderson, K. L., Umberson, D. and Elliott, S. (2004). Violence and abuse in families. In Vangelisti, A. L. (ed.), Handbook of Family Communication (pp. 629646). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Anthony, E. K., Lehning, A. J., Austin, M. J. and Peck, M. D. (2009). Assessing elder mistreatment: instrument development and implications for adult protective services. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52, 815836. doi:10.1080/016343700902918597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baker, A. A. (1975). Granny battering. Modern Geriatrics, 8, 2024.Google Scholar
Barker, V. (2007). Young adults’ reactions to grandparent painful self-disclosure: the influence of grandparent sex and overall motivations for communication. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 64, 195215. doi:10.2190/KTNU-0373-20W7-4781.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baucom, B. R., Atkins, D. C., Eldridge, K., McFarland, P., Sevier, M. and Christensen, A. (2011). The language of demand/withdraw: verbal and vocal expression in dyadic interactions. Journal of Family Psychology, 25, 570580. doi:10.1037/a0024064.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Begle, A. M., Strachan, M., Cisler, J. M., Amstadter, A. B., Hernandez, M. and Acierno, R. (2011). Elder mistreatment and emotional symptoms among older adults in a largely rural population: the South Carolina elder mistreatment study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 23212332. doi:10.1177/0886260510383037.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bendik, M. F. (1992). Reaching the breaking point: dangers of mistreatment in elder caregiving situations. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 4, 3960.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berns, S. B., Jacobson, N. S. and Gottman, J. M. (1999). Demand/withdraw interaction patterns between different types of batterers and their spouses. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 25, 337348. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.1999.tb00252.x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Biggs, S., Manthorpe, J., Tinker, A., Doyle, M. and Brens, B. (2009). Mistreatment of older people in the United Kingdom: findings from the first national prevalence study. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 21, 114. doi:10.1080/08946560802571870.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blundo, R. and Bullington, J. (2007). Abuse of elderly male clients: efforts and experiences in rural and urban adult protective services. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 19, 173191. doi:10.1300/J084v19n01_11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonnesen, J. L. and Hummert, M. L. (2002). Painful self-disclosures of older adults in relation to aging stereotypes and perceived motivations. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 21, 275301. doi:10.1177/0261927x02021003004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonnie, R. J. and Wallace, R. B. (eds.) (2003). Elder Mistreatment. Washington, DC: The National Academic Press.Google Scholar
Brandl, B. (2000). Power and control: understanding domestic abuse in later life. Generations, 24, 3945.Google Scholar
Brossoie, N., Roberto, K. A. and Barrow, K. M. (2012). Making sense of intimate partner violence in late life: comments from online news readers. Gerontologist, 52, 792801. doi:10.1093/geront/gns046.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brownell, P. and Wolden, A. (2002). Elder abuse intervention strategies: social service or criminal justice? Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 40, 83100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bugental, D. B. (1993). Communication in abusive relationships: cognitive constructions of interpersonal power. American Behavioral Scientist, 36, 288308. doi:10.1177/0002764293036003004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bugental, D. B., Blue, J. and Cruzcosa, M. (1989). Perceived control over caregiving outcomes: implications for child abuse. Developmental Psychology, 25, 532539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bugental, D. B., Blue, J. and Lewis, J. (1990). Caregiver beliefs and dysphoric affect directed to difficult children. Developmental Psychology, 26, 631638.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bugental, D. B., Brown, M. and Reiss, C. (1996). Cognitive representations of power in caregiving relationships: biasing effects in interpersonal interaction and information processing. Journal of Family Psychology, 10, 397407. doi:10.1037//0893-3200.10.4.397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bugental, D. B., Ellerson, P. C., Lin, E. K., Rainey, B. and Kokotovic, A. (2002). A cognitive approach to child abuse prevention. Journal of Family Psychology, 16, 243258. doi:10.1037//0893-3200.16.3.243.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bugental, D. B. and Happaney, K. (2000). Parent-child interactions as a power contest. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 21, 267282. doi:10.1016/S0193-3973(99)00038-6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bugental, D. B. and Lewis, J. C. (1999). The paradoxical misuse of power by those who see themselves as powerless: how does it happen? Journal of Social Issues, 55, 5164. doi:10.1111/0022-4537.00104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bugental, D. B., Shennum, W. A. and Sahver, P. (1984). “Difficult” children as elicitors and targets of adult communication patterns: an attributional-behavioral transactional analysis. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 49, 181. doi:10.2307/1165910.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cahn, D. D. (1996). Family violence from a communication perspective. In Cahn, D.D. and Lloyd, S.A. (eds.), Family Violence from a Communication Perspective (pp. 119). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christensen, A. and Shenk, J. L. (1991). Communication, conflict, and psychological distance in nondistressed, clinic, and divorcing couples. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 458463. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.59.3.458.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cohen, M., Levin, S. H., Gagin, R. and Friedman, G. (2007). Elder abuse: disparities between older people's disclosure of abuse, evident signs of abuse, and high risk of abuse. Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 55, 12241230. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01269.x.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooper, C., Selwood, A., Blanchard, M. and Livingston, G. (2010a). Abusive behavior experienced by family carers from people with dementia: the CARD (caring for relatives with dementia) study. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 81, 592596. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2009.190934.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooper, C., Selwood, A., Blanchard, M., Walker, Z., Blizard, R. and Livingston, G. (2010b). The determinants of family carers’ abusive behavior to people with dementia: results of the CARD study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 121, 136142. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2009.05.001.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooper, C., Selwood, A. and Livingston, G. (2008). The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect: a systematic review. Age and Ageing, 37, 151160. doi:10.1093/ageing/afm194.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coupland, N., Coupland, J., Giles, H., Henwood, K. and Wiemann, J. (1988). Elderly self-disclosure: interactional and intergroup issues. Language and Communication, 8, 109133. doi:10.1016/0271-5309(88)90010-9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crystal, S. (1986). Social policy and elder abuse. In Pillemer, K. A. and Wolf, R. S. (eds.), Elder Abuse: Conflict in the Family (pp. 331340). Dover, MA: Auburn House.Google Scholar
Dong, X., Simon, M. A. and Gorbien, M. (2007). Elder abuse and neglect in an urban Chinese population. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 19, 7996. doi:10.1300/J084v19n03_05.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dong, X.et al. (2011). Elder abuse and mortality: the role of psychological and social wellbeing. Gerontology, 57, 549558. doi: 10.1159/000321881.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dugan, S., Umberson, D. and Anderson, K. L. (2001). The batterer's view of the self and others in domestic violence. Sociological Inquiry, 71, 221240.Google Scholar
Ferreira, M. and Lindgren, P. (2008). Elder abuse and neglect in South Africa: a case of marginalization, disrespect, exploitation and violence. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 20, 91107. doi:10.1080/08946560801974497.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fitzpatrick, M. J. and Hamil, S. B. (2011). Elder abuse: factors related to perceptions of severity and likelihood of reporting. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 23, 116. doi:10.1080/08946566.2011.531701.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fowler, C. and Soliz, J. (2010). Responses to young adult grandchildren to grandparents’ painful self-disclosures. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 29, 75100. doi:10.1177/0261927x09351680.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garcia, J. L. and Kosberg, J. I. (1992). Understanding anger: implications for formal and informal caregivers. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 4, 8799.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gasiorek, J. and Giles, H. (2012). Effects of inferred motive on evaluations of non-accommodative communication. Human Communication Research, 38, 309331. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.2012.01426.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giles, H. and Gasiorek, J. (in press). Parameters of non-accommodation: refining and elaborating communication accommodation theory. In Forgas, J., László, J. and Orsolya Vincze, V. (eds.), Social Cognition and Communication. New York: Psychology Press.Google Scholar
Giles, H. and Helmle, J. (2011). Elder abuse and neglect: a communication framework. In Duszak, A. and Okulska, U. (eds.), Language, Culture and the Dynamics of Age (pp. 223252). Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Giles, H. and Williams, A. (1994). Patronizing the young: forms and evaluations. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 39, 3353. doi:10.2190/0LUC-NWMA-K5LX-NUVW.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenberg, J. R., McKibben, M. and Raymond, J. A. (1990). Dependent adult children and elder abuse. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 2, 7386. doi: 10.1300/J084v02n01_05CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hempton, C.et al. (2011). Contrasting perceptions of health professionals and older people in Australia: what constitutes elder abuse? International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26, 466472.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Horsford, S. R., Parra-Cardona, J. R., Post, L. A. and Schiamberg, L. (2011). Elder abuse and neglect in African American families: informing practice based on ecological and cultural frameworks. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 23, 7588. doi:10.1080/08946566.2011.534709.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Infante, D. A. and Rancer, A. S. (1982). A conceptualization and measure of argumentativeness. Journal of Personality Assessment, 46, 7280. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa4601_13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Infante, D. A., Trebing, D. J., Shepherd, P. E. and Seeds, D. E. (1984). The relationship of argumentativeness to verbal aggression. Southern Speech Communication Journal, 50, 6777. doi:10.1080/10417948409372622.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, T. F. (1991). Elder Mistreatment: Deciding Who Is at Risk. New York: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Kipnis, D. (1976). The Powerholders. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Kosberg, J. I. (1983). The special vulnerability of elderly parents. In Kosberg, J. I. (ed.), Abuse and Maltreatment of the Elderly: Causes and Interventions (pp. 263276). Boston, MA: John Wright.Google Scholar
Krienert, J. L., Walsh, J. A. and Turner, M. (2009). Elderly in America: a descriptive study of elder abuse examining National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data, 2000–2005. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 21, 325345. doi:10.1080/08946560903005042.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laumann, E. O., Leitsch, S.A. and Waite, L.J. (2008). Elder mistreatment in the United States: prevalence estimates from a nationally representative study. Journal of Gerontology: Series B, 63, 248254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, M. (2009). A path analysis on elder abuse by family caregivers: applying the ABCX model. Journal of Family Violence, 24, 19. doi:10.1007/s10896-008-9192-5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LePoire, B. A. (2006). Family Communication: Nurturing and Controlling in a Changing World. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowenstein, A. (2010). Caregiving and elder abuse and neglect: developing a new conceptual perspective. Ageing International, 35, 215227. doi:10.1007/s1126-0109068-x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lowenstein, A., Eiskiovits, Z., Band-Winterstein, T. and Enosh, G. (2009). Is elder abuse and neglect a social phenomenon? Data from the First National Prevalence Survey in Israel. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 21, 253277. doi:10.1080/08946560902997629.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mastin, T., Choi, J., Barboza, G. E. and Post, L. (2007). Newspapers’ framing of elder abuse: it's not a family affair. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 84, 777794. doi:10.1177/107769900708400408.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCabe, K. A. and Gregory, S. S. (1998). Elderly victimization: an examination beyond the FBI's index crimes. Research on Aging, 20, 363372. doi:10.1177/0164027598203005.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murphy, C. M. and O'Farrell, T. J. (1997). Couple communication patterns of maritally aggressive and nonaggressive male alcoholics. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 58, 8390.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Center on Elder Abuse (2002). Preventing Elder Abuse by Family Caregivers (WWW). Orange, CA: National Center on Elder Abuse. Available at: http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/pdf/family/caregiver.pdf (last accessed 20 May 2012).Google Scholar
National Center on Elder Abuse (2011). Major Types of Elder Abuse (WWW). Orange, CA: National Center on Elder Abuse. Available at: http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/Main_Site/FAQ/Basics/Types_Of_Abuse.aspx (last accessed 20 May 2012).Google Scholar
National Research Council (2003). Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America. Washington, DC: National Academics Press.Google Scholar
Naughton, C.et al. (2010). Abuse and Neglect of Older People in Ireland: Report on the National Study of Elder Abuse and Neglect. Dublin, Ireland: National Centre for the Protection of Older People.Google Scholar
Newman, M. (2006). International/cultural perspectives on elder abuse. In Summers, R. W. and Hoffman, A. M. (eds.), Elder Abuse: A Public Health Perspective (pp. 6576). Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.Google Scholar
Payne, B. K., Appel, J. and Kim-Appel, D. (2008). Elder abuse coverage in newspapers: regional differences and its comparison to child-abuse coverage. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 20, 265275. doi:10.1080/08946560801973135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Polk, D. M. (2005). Communication and family caregiving for Alzheimer's Dementia: linking attributions and problematic integration. Health Communication, 18, 257273. doi:10.1207/s15327027hc1803_4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poon, C. Y. M. and Knight, B. G. (2012). Emotional reactivity to network stress in middle and late adulthood: the role of childhood parental emotional abuse and support. Gerontologist, 52, 782791 doi:10.1093/geront/gns009.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Post, L., Page, C., Conner, T., Prokhorov, A., Fang, Y. and Biroscak, B. J. (2010). Elder abuse in long-term care: types, patterns, and risk factors. Research on Aging, 32, 323348. doi:10.1177/0164027509357705.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Powell, M. E. and Berman, J. (2006). Effects of dependency on compliance rates among elder abuse victims at the New York City Department for the Aging, Elderly Crime Victim's Unit. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 46, 229247. doi:10.1300/J083v46n03_13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quayhagen, M., Quayhagen, M., Patterson, T., Irwin, M., Hauger, R. and Grant, I. (1997). Coping with dementia: family caregiver burnout and abuse. Journal of Mental Health and Aging, 3, 357364.Google Scholar
Quinn, M. J. and Tomita, S. K. (1986). Elder Abuse and Neglect. New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Rabiner, D. J., O’ Keefe, J. and Brown, D. (2005). A conceptual framework of financial exploitation. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 16, 5374. doi:10.1300/J084v16n02_05.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raschick, M. and Ingersoll-Dayton, B. (2004). The costs and rewards of caregiving among aging spouses and adult children. Family Relations, 53, 317325. doi:10.1111/j.0022-2445.2004.0008.x.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rathbone-McCuan, E. and Hashimi, J. (1982). Isolated Elders: Health and Social Interventions. Rockville, MD: Aspen Systems.Google Scholar
Ruscher, J. B. and Hurley, M. M. (2000). Off-target verbosity evokes negative stereotypes of older adults. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 19, 141149. doi:10.1177/0261927x00019001007.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryan, E. B., Giles, H., Bartolucci, G. and Henwood, K. (1986). Psycholinguistic and social psychological components of communication by and with the elderly. Language and Communication, 6, 124. doi:10.1016/0271-5309(86)90002-9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryan, E. B., Meredith, S. D., MacLean, M. J. and Orange, J. B. (1995). Changing the way we talk with elders: promoting health using the communication enhancement model. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 41, 89107. doi:10.2190/FP05-FM8V-0Y9F-53Fx.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sabourin, T. C. and Stamp, G. H. (1995). Communication and experience of dialectical tensions in family life: an examination of abusive and nonabusive families. Communication Monographs, 62, 213242. doi:10.1080/03637759509376358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schiamberg, L. B.et al. (2012). Physical abuse of older adults in nursing homes: a random sample survey of adults with an elderly family member in a nursing home. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect, 24, 6583. doi:10.1080/08946566.2011.608056.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Smith, R. S. (1999). Fraud and Financial Abuse of Older Persons. Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology.Google Scholar
Sorenson, H. (2006). Verbal abuse and communication neglect in the elderly. In Summers, R. W. and Hoffman, A. M. (eds.), Elder Abuse: A Public Health Perspective (pp. 117129). Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.Google Scholar
Stannard, C. I. (1973). Old folks and dirty work: The social conditions for patient abuse in a nursing home. Social Problems, 20, 329342.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Teaster, P. B., Otto, J. M., Dugar, T. D., Mendiondo, M. S., Abner, E. L. and Cecil, K. A. (2006). The 2004 Survey of State Adult Protective Services: Abuse of Adults 60 Years of Age and Older. Report of the National Center on Elder Abuse. Washington, DC: Administration on Aging, NCEA.Google Scholar
Thomson, M.et al. (2011). An analysis of elder abuse rates in Milwaukee county. The World Medical Journal, 110, 271276.Google ScholarPubMed
Turner, J. C., Hogg, M. A., Oaks, P. J., Reicher, S. D. and Wetherell, M. S. (1987). Rediscovering the Social Group: A Self-Categorization Theory. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Wigley III, C. J. (1998). Verbal aggressiveness. In McCroskey, J. C., Daly, J. A., Martin, M. M. and Beatty, M. J. (eds.), Communication and Personality: Trait Perspectives (pp. 191214). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.Google Scholar
Zarit, S. H. and Toseland, R. W. (1989). Current and future direction in family caregiving research. Gerontologist, 29, 481483. doi:10.1093/geront/29.4.481.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed