Correlates of Mistreatment
Major correlates varied somewhat by mistreatment type, but nearly all forms of abuse
were associated with low social support, even after we controlled for the effects of all other
variables that were significant in bivariate analyses. Low social support was associated
with more than triple the likelihood that mistreatment of any form would be reported.
These findings are disconcertingly consonant with those of mental health epidemiological
reports about this age group. Older adults who reported low social support and experienced
extremely stressful events such as natural disasters had increased risk of suffering posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder.12