Psychological distress in victims of elder mistreatment: The effects of social support and coping

The objective of the study was to examine psychological distress in victims of elder mistreatment and to determine whether social support, coping styl e, mastery, and perceived self-efficacy favorably influence the psychologic al health of these victims The study sample consisted of 77 subjects who re ported recent chronic verbal aggression, physical aggression, or financial mistreatment, and a control group of 147 subjects who had not been mistreat ed. All participants were elderly persons who were over 65 years of age and living independently in the community Serial support, coping style, master y, and perceived self-efficacy,were measured by means of a standardized hom e interview: psychological distress,vas measured by means of the General He alth Questionnaire (GHQ-I2). Victims of elder mistreatment had significanly higher levels of psychological distress than nonvictims. Social support sh owed a favorable effect on the level of psychological distress in victims, but not in nonvictims; victims who received more social support showed less psychological distress. A lower sense of mastery, a negative perception of self-efficacy, and a passive reaction pattern were associated with higher levels of psychological distress in victims as well as in nonvictims. The b eneficial role of social support, locus of control, and perceived self-effi cacy on the level of psychological distress could be of importance in the d evelopment of future intervention programs.