Re-experiencing Violence Across the Life Course: Histories of Childhood Maltreatment and Elder Abuse Victimization

Objectives: This study primarily examines the associations between histories of childhood maltreatment (i.e., neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse) and elder abuse victimization and explores whether gender moderates the associations.

Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of 5,968 older adults (mean age = 71 years) based on data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (2010-2011). Using retrospective self-reports of childhood and current (past 12 months) victimization experiences, logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the effects of early-life adversities on the likelihood of elder abuse victimization.

Results: Results indicate that childhood emotional abuse and childhood sexual abuse (CSA) were associated with greater risk of being abused as older adults, after controlling for childhood and adult background factors. We also found that the effect of CSA on elder abuse victimization was weaker for women than men.

Discussion: Findings suggest that the phenomenon of revictimization may occur not only in early and middle adulthood, but also in late life. To advance our understanding of victimization across the life course, future research on root causes of elder abuse should include histories of child abuse.