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Individual Differences in Attitudes about Elder Abuse: The Elder Abuse Attitude Test (EAAT)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

M. J. Stones  and
Diane Pittman
M. J. Stones
Affiliation:
University of Waterloo and University Institute of Social Gerontology of Quebec
Diane Pittman
Affiliation:
Memorial University of Newfoundland
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Abstract

This research examined individual differences in attitudes about elder abuse and other concerns in contemporary social morality. Study 1 was part of a larger investigation intended to identify examples of elder abuse through a survey of 572 seniors and practioners. Using a series of construct validation filters, a unifactorial Elder Abuse Attitude Test (EAAT) was developed that measures individual differences in evaluating examples of elder abuse. The EAAT contains 13 items and had an internal consistency exceeding 9. Study 2 included the EAAT in a survey of attitudes about wider social issues. Data on the EAAT, 31 survey items, and indexes of extremity and agreement set were analysed for 257 respondents. Zero-order and factor analysis showed relationships of the EAAT with extremity set and items stating that society should provide fiscal and other resources towards the prevention and remediation of child, spousal, and elder abuse. Attitude extremity was uncorrelated with four other attitude factors. We conclude that people more prone to attitude extremity have stronger convictions about the responsibility of society to attenuate abusive situations.

Résumé

Cette étude porte sur les différences individuelles dans les attitudes vis-à-vis de l'abus et des mauvais traitements faits aux personnes âgées et d'autres questions de moral sociale contemporaine. La première étude faisait partie d'une enquête de grande envergure dont l'objectif consistait à établir des exemples d'abus et de mauvais traitements faits aux aînés au moyen d'un sondage auprès de 572 personnes âgées et médecins. En utilisant une série de grilles d'analyse de validation de construits, un test unifactoriel d'attitudes vis-à-vis de l'abus et des mauvais traitements faits aux aînés (Elder Abuse Attitude Test – EAAT) a été élaboré pour mesurer les différences individuelles dans l'évaluation des exemples d'abus et de mauvais traitements faits aux personnes âgées. Ce test comportait 13 questions et un taux de cohérence interne de plus de 0,9. La seconde étude comprenait le test unifactoriel d'attitudes vis-à-vis de l'abus et des mauvais traitements faits aux aînés dans un sondage sur les attitudes vis-à-vis de questions sociales plus générales. Les résultats du test, les 31 questions du sondage et des échelles d'attitudes extrêmes et conciliantes ont été analysés dans le cas de 257 répondants. Les corrélations simples et l'analyse factorielle ont révélé un lien entre le test, l'échelle d'attitudes extrêmes et les questions soulignant que société devrait fournir des ressources financières et d'autres types de ressources pour la prévention et le traitement de l'abus à l'égard des enfants, des conjoints et des personnes âgées. Les attitudes extrêmes n'ont pas été corrélées avec quatre autres attitudes. L'article conclut que les personnes susceptibles d'adopter des attitudes extrêmes sont davantage persuadées que la société a la responsabilité d'éliminer les situations d'abus.

Keywords

AbuseAttitudesMeasurementMeasureNeglectEthics.Abusattitudesla mesureinstrumentsnégligeanceéthique.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 14 , supplement S2 , Été/Summer 1995 , pp. 61 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1995

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