Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T08:28:15.526Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Caregiver factors contributing to psychological elder abuse behavior in long-term care facilities: a structural equation model approach

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2009

Jing-Jy Wang ,
Mei-Feng Lin ,
Hung-Fu Tseng  and
Wen-Yun Chang
Jing-Jy Wang*
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Institute of Allied Health Science, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan city, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Mei-Feng Lin
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Institute of Allied Health Science, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan city, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Hung-Fu Tseng
Affiliation:
Department of Research and Evaluation, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.
Wen-Yun Chang
Affiliation:
Department of Nursing, Institute of Allied Health Science, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan city, Taiwan, R.O.C.
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Associate Professor Jing-Jy Wang, Department of Nursing, Institute of Allied Health Science, National Cheng-Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan city, Taiwan, R.O.C. Phone: +886 6 2353535 (ext. 5845); Fax: +886-6-2377550. Email: ns127@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background: Identification of caregiver risk factors associated with psychological elder abuse is crucial for preventing and managing such abuse. The aim of this study was to test the most effective model for explaining caregiver factors contributing to caregiver psychological abuse behavior. We hypothesized that caregiver hours worked each day, years of education, age, geriatric care-giving training, gerontological care knowledge, social resources, and self-reported work stress are factors contributing to psychological abuse behavior of caregivers.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. The sample included a total of 183 caregivers recruited from seven long-term care facilities in southern areas of Taiwan. Instruments included the Caregiver Psychological Elder Abuse Behavior (CPEAB) scale, the Work Stressors Inventory Chinese version (WSI-C), the Personal Resources Questionnaire (PRQ-2000), and Knowledge of Gerontological Nursing Scale (KGNS). The structural equation modeling (SEM) procedure was used to analyze the data.

Results: All the model-fit indexes (χ2 = 87.84, df = 70, p = 0.073; CMIN/DF = 1.26; GFI = 0.94, AGFI =0.91, TLI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.037) of the final model exceeded their respective common acceptance levels except for the normed fit index (NFI) value (0.88). The study results suggest that caregivers who work fewer hours, received fewer years of education, lack social resources, and had more work stress showed higher levels of psychological abuse behavior in caring for the elderly (p = 0.000–0.037).

Conclusions: These findings should be incorporated into practice by intervening to reduce caregiver stress and reduce elder abuse behaviors. To help reduce elder psychological abuse, caregivers would benefit from stress management and social resource interventions provided by employers or government programs.

Keywords

psychological elder abusesocial resourcescaregiver work stresseducationhours worked each day
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 2009 , pp. 314 - 320
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2009

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

Bagozzi, R. P. and Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation for structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 16, 74–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bentler, P. M. (1990). Comparative fit indexes in structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 102, 238–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bentler, P. M. and Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychological Bulletin, 88, 588–606.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, S. (2007). Structural Equation Modeling for AMOS. Taipei: Psychology Publishing (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Childs, H. W., Hayslip, B., Radika, L. M. and Reinberg, J. A. (2000). Young and middle-aged adults’ perceptions of elder abuse. The Gerontologist, 40, 75–85.Google Scholar
Cooper, C., Katona, C., Finne-Soveri, H., Toponkova, E., Carpenter, G. I. and Livingston, G. (2005). Indicators of elder abuse: a cross-national comparison of psychiatric morbidity and other determinants in the ad-hoc study. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 14, 489–497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goergen, T. (2001). Stress, conflict, elder abuse and neglect in German nursing homes: a pilot study among professional caregivers. Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 13, 1–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hair, J. T., Anderson, R. E., Tatham, R. L. and Black, W. C. (1992). Multivariate Data Analysis with Readings (3rd edn). New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Hatcher, L. A. (1994). A Step-by Step Approach to Using the SAS System for Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. North Carolina, Cary: SAS Institute Inc.Google Scholar
Hsu, S. (2006). The development and testing of the caregiver psychological elder abuse behavior scale. Unpublished Masters dissertation. Fooyin University, Taiwan (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Jayawardena, K. M. and Liao, S. (2006). Elder abuse at end of life. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 9, 127–136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Joshi, S. and Flaherty, J. H. (2005). Elder abuse and neglect in long-term care. Clinical Geriatric Medicine, 21, 333–354.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, L. (1998). Nurses' knowledge, attitude, and intention toward caring for elderly people in Kaoshiung City hospital. Unpublished Masters dissertation. Chung-Shang Medical College, Taiwan (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Lin, S. (2000). Relationship of work stress and job satisfaction among nurse aids. Unpublished Masters dissertation. Yang-Ming University, Taiwan. (in Chinese)Google Scholar
Liu, Z. (2006). Associated factors of psychological elder abuse behavior among institutional caregivers and the effects of educational-support group intervention. Unpublished Masters dissertation. Foo-Yin University, Taiwan. (in Chinese)Google Scholar
Mehta, K. K. (2005). Stress among family caregivers of older persons in Singapore. Journal of Cross Culture Gerontology, 20, 319–334.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Muehlbauer, M. and Crane, P. A. (2006). Elder abuse and neglect. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 44 (11), 43–48.Google ScholarPubMed
Muldary, T. W. (1983). Burnout and Health Professionals: Manifestations and Management. California: Capistrano.Google Scholar
Ogioni, L., Landi, F. and Bernabei, R. (2007). Cross-sectional association between behavioral symptoms and potential elder abuse among subjects in home care in Italy: results from the Silvernet study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 15, 70–78.Google ScholarPubMed
Oh, J., Kim, H. S., Martins, D. and Kim, H. (2006). A study of elder abuse in Korea. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43, 203–214.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pillemer, K. and Moore, D. W. (1989). Abuse of patients in nursing homes: findings from a survey of staff. Gerontologist, 29, 314–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saveman, B. I. and Sandvide, A. (2001). Swedish general practitioners’ awareness of elderly patients at risk of or actually suffering from elder abuse. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Science, 15, 244–249.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suitor, J. J. and Pillemer, K. (1992). Violence and violent feelings: what causes them among family caregivers? Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 47, S165–S172.Google Scholar
Tam, S. and Neysmith, S. (2006). Disrespect and isolation: elder abuse in Chinese communities. Canadian Journal on Aging, 25, 141–151.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, J. (2005). Psychological abuse behavior exhibited by caregivers in the care of the elderly and correlated factors in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. Journal of Nursing Research, 13, 271–280.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, J. (2006). Psychological abuse and its characteristic correlates among elderly Taiwanese. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 42, 307–318.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weinert, C. (2003). Measuring social support: PRQ 2000. In Strickland, O. and Dilorio, C. (eds.), Measurement of Nursing Outcome: Self Care and Coping (pp.161–172). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Wu, S. and Wang, S. (2004). Assessment and preventive interventions in abuse of the elderly. Nursing Journal, 51 (6), 64–69 (in Chinese)Google ScholarPubMed
Yan, E. and Tang, C. S. (2001). Prevalence and psychological impact of Chinese elder abuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 16, 1158–1174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar