Elder abuse and psychological distress of Chinese widowed older adults

Abstract Objective The complexity of elder abuse lies partly in the public's limited awareness regarding its prevalence and manifestations. Moreover, the psychosocial factors (self‐efficacy and social participation) underlying the potential association between elder abuse and psychological distress merit in‐depth exploration for prevention and intervention. Background Elder abuse is a critical problem entailing consequences for psychological distress, especially among widowed older adults. Method Using a large national sample of 3,406 widowed older adults in China, this study investigated the characteristics of elder abuse in this cultural context, assessed the relationship between elder abuse and psychological distress, and tested potential mediating roles of self‐efficacy and social participation in this link. Results Nearly 7.8% of widowed participants had experienced elder abuse, which is positively associated with their high levels of psychological distress. Furthermore, both self‐efficacy and social participation partially mediated the relationship between elder abuse and psychological distress. Conclusion These findings provide evidence of elder abuse among widowed older adults in the Chinese cultural context and highlight the theoretical significance of identifying risk factors and mechanisms contributing to psychological distress. Implications This study underlines the crucial implications for psychosocial practice. It emphasizes the need to intervene for those who have endured elder abuse, aiming to forestall the onset of psychological distress among vulnerable individuals.