Russian perspectives on elder abuse: an exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Elder abuse is a growing concern globally.
• Understanding cultural perceptions of elder abuse is crucial for effective intervention.
• Russian perspectives on elder abuse, particularly from adult children, require further exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze Russian perceptions of elder abuse.
• To examine examples of abusive behavior from adult children to aging parents.
• To investigate potential gender differences in these perceptions.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory study utilizing a convenience sample of 21 Russian participants.
• Participants provided examples of extreme, moderate, and mild abuse.
• One-way analyses of variance were used to identify gender differences.

Main Results:

• Extreme abuse examples predominantly involved physical violence.
• Moderate and mild abuse examples frequently included psychological aggression (verbal aggression) and neglect.
• Statistically significant gender differences were found in moderate abuse, with females reporting more psychological and verbal aggression than males.

Conclusions:

• Russian perceptions categorize physical violence as extreme elder abuse.
• Psychological aggression and neglect are recognized forms of moderate and mild elder abuse.
• Gender influences the reporting of psychological and verbal aggression in elder abuse contexts within Russia.