Research shows that there is a 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 of people growing up with abuse from older generations. While generational trauma is known to be passed down from parent to child, the research has shown that it can also reverberate upward from parent to older generations.

The study is published in JAMA network opened.

A survey of more than 13,000 people in Japan found that about half had one or more ACEs. Of these, 8.5% indicated that they had committed some form of physical or verbal violence against people over 65 years of age.

A major 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 saying, “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” However, research has shown that exposing children to physical punishment or abuse, emotional abuse, neglect or household dysfunction has long-lasting negative effects on their physical and mental health. This abuse, also called adverse childhood experiences, can lead to a self-perpetuating cycle. Later, the children of parents exposed to ACEs are also more likely to experience some form of abuse or neglect.

While ACEs are known to increase the risk of passing on generative violence, a new study by a team including researchers from the University of Tokyo has shown that this behavior can also extend upwards.

“Our research confirmed that people who had adverse childhood experiences (ages zero to 18) were at greater risk of perpetrating violence and verbal abuse against adults aged 65 and over. The research also showed that psychological factors were the main contributors,” explains. lead author Chie Koga, project assistant professor of 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 evenly split) aged 20 to 64 in Japan. They found that those who reported a higher number 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 psychopathy and family violence), abuse (physical and psychological), and neglect.

Results showed that 8.5% of participants self-reported having committed some form of abuse against older adults. Nearly half of respondents did not have an ACE, 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 people without.

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

“But especially in Japanese society, there is this idea that violence is solely the fault of the person who commits it and that they alone are responsible for their own actions. One reason for this is the vast lack of research, so this study is a way to advance research into the epidemiology of violence.”

Other factors that particularly contributed to whether a person with ACEs committed elder abuse included depression, other mental health conditions, and the way respondents rated their health. Less important but still relevant factors were living situation, 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 has recently been identified and the importance of preventing violence has been re-emphasized. Koga said.

“However, it is important to note that not all people with ACEs are repeat violent offenders. Therefore, we want to explore mitigating factors in the future.”