Conceptual Models
The limited research on most forms of elder abuse, including PA, has lacked an overall conceptual framework to guide data collection efforts and provide effective assessment of the risk factors for and the consequences of different types of abuse.Godkin and colleagues (1989) developed five conceptual components of abusive relationships. Anetzberger (2000) developed the Exploratory Model for Elder Abuse that examined characteristics of the perpetrator as the primary consideration, and secondarily, characteristics of the victim and the context in a temporal arrangement. The National Research Council’s (2003) seminal book on elder abuse presents a structure, process, and outcome model that includes the sociocultural context and the transactional processes among the parties leading to abuse.
These models have several commonalities; primary among them is that they recognize the importance of including the perpetrator and his or her characteristics as well as the social network. Although the models are able to explain the etiology of general abuse, they do not present examples of items that represent PA nor do they indicate which components are most important to elder abuse or which are most severe. Understanding these issues is essential to obtaining accurate assessments of types and levels of abuse.