Subjective Cognitive Decline and Financial Exploitation Vulnerability

The contextual elements of financial decision-making contributed to the creation of a financial exploitation vulnerability scale. This study was a cross-validation study of earlier findings that financial exploitation vulnerability is significantly related to subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a self-rating of cognitive decline.

This study used a website designed for older adults to fill out the financial exploitation vulnerability survey anonymously. In this cross-validation sample, 1,436 adults aged 60 and older completed the survey. Correlational and multiple regression analyses were used to test the study's hypotheses. Chi-square, correlation and regression analyses were used to investigate correlates of financial vulnerability.

Higher financial vulnerability scores were related to SCD, less education, older age, and for persons of color. We collapsed the self-reported racial groups that were Black (6%), Asian (3%), Latino (2.5%), and other self-reported races into one group due to the low representation of these groups in the sample. Regression analyses accounted for 20% of the overall variance for financial exploitation vulnerability scores, and SCD was the strongest predictor.

The findings support the validity of the Financial Exploitation Vulnerability measure and its use as a clinical risk assessment tool.

Assessment of SCD is increasingly important. Utilizing measures of financial exploitation risk in clinical settings allows for earlier detection of exploitation vulnerability in persons with SCD, and earlier intervention to help prevent financial exploitation.