Study finds link between adverse childhood experiences and elder abuse

New research shows the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as physical or emotional abuse, and an increased risk that people will grow up to be violent towards older generations. Although generational trauma is known to be passed down from parent to child, the study showed that it can also cascade upwards, from parent to older generations.

The study is published in Open JAMA Network.

A survey of more than 13,000 people in Japan found that about half had one or more ACEs. Among them, 8.5% reported having committed some form of physical or verbal violence against people aged over 65.

A significant contributing factor was the person’s mental and physical health, both of which are known to be affected by ACEs. By better understanding the causes of intergenerational violence, researchers hope to develop guidelines and support to help people break the chain.

You may have heard the old adage “spare the rod, spoil the child.” However, on the contrary, studies have shown that subjecting children to corporal punishment or mistreatment, psychological abuse, neglect or dysfunction in the home has long-term negative effects. term on their physical and mental health. Considered adverse childhood experiences, this abuse can lead to a self-perpetuating cycle. Later, children of parents subjected to ACEs are also more likely to experience some form of abuse or neglect.

While ACEs are known to increase the risk of transmission of generational violence, a new study by a team including researchers from the University of Tokyo showed that this behavior can also spread upwards.

“Our study confirmed that people who had negative childhood experiences (between 0 and 18 years old) were at higher risk of committing violence and verbal abuse against adults aged 65 and older. The study also showed that psychological factors were the most important contributor,” explained lead author Chie Koga, assistant project professor at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo.

The research team studied 13,318 survey responses from women and men (almost equally distributed) aged 20 to 64 in Japan. They found that those who reported higher numbers of ACEs were more likely to commit physical or verbal violence against older adults. The ACEs included were: interpersonal loss (parental loss or divorce), family psychopathy (parental mental illness and violence within the family), abuse (physical and psychological), and neglect.

Results showed that 8.5% of participants reported committing some form of elder abuse. Nearly half of respondents had no ACEs, about 36% had one, and about 14% had two or more. The risk of perpetuating elder abuse was more than three times higher for people with one ACE and almost eight times higher for people with two or more ACEs, compared to those without one.

“My hypothesis is that some forms of violence are mainly due to socio-environmental factors. I believe that violence is the last resort that an individual uses to protect their dignity,” Koga said.

“However, especially in Japanese society, the idea that violence is solely the fault of the person committing it and that they are solely responsible for their own actions is widespread. One of the reasons for this is the huge lack of research, which is why this study is a way to advance research in the epidemiology of violence.

Other factors that are particularly influential in determining whether a person with ACE has committed elder abuse include depression, other mental illnesses, and how respondents rate their health. Less important but still relevant factors were living conditions, marital status, income and whether the person went out at least once a month.

“The results of these studies indicate that the cycle of violence can extend to all vulnerable groups. At the same time, one of the social and environmental risk factors for elder abuse was newly identified and the importance of preventing violence was reaffirmed. ” said Koga.

“However, it is important to note that not all people with ACE are repeat violent offenders. Therefore, we would like to examine mitigating factors in the future.”