Elder abuse in life stories: a qualitative study on rural Chinese older people

Holding beliefs such as elder respect seems to make Chinese older adults vulnerable to feel abused. This study investigated how Chinese older people in the countryside perceive abuse and make sense of their abusive experiences while telling their life stories. Following a narrative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 older persons living in a rural village, Yunnan province, China, collected their life stories, and paid special attention to their telling of abuses. Thematic analysis of the data suggests that elder abuse for the participants is a betrayal of trust that is established within Chinese cultural values. Four themes were identified in explaining the participants' experiences of abuse: disrespect, dependency and the down-valued self, disconnection and rejection, and social comparisons in the construction of abuse. We discuss implications for future research and practices in stopping elder abuse.