Examining the Validity of the Financial Exploitation Vulnerability Scale

Reflective Functioning and Financial Exploitation Vulnerability in Older Adults: The Importance of Significant Others

OBJECTIVES

Financial exploitation of older adults results in devastating economic, social, and psychological losses to older adults, their families, and society at large. This study examined the relationship between reflective functioning and financial exploitation vulnerability (FEV) and whether relationship status moderated the association.

METHODS

A community-based sample of 156 Israeli older adults age 60 and over responded to demographic questions and questionnaires assessing reflective functioning and FEV.

RESULTS

A hierarchical linear regression analysis covarying for age, sex, education, income, and sum of illnesses, revealed that higher reflective functioning was associated with lower FEV (p = .011). A main effect of relationship status was not found, but a significant interaction of reflective functioning × relationship status was discovered (p = .008), adding 4.2% to the total variance of the model. Probing the interaction revealed that the reflective functioning-FEV association was significant only for older adults not in a relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that low reflective functioning may be associated with increased risk of financial exploitation, specifically in certain populations of older adults.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Care providers of older adults may consider assessing for, and identifying older adults with low reflective functioning, in order to prevent or intervene in the event of a potentially exploitative situation.

Co-developing 'The CyberABIlity Scale' to assess vulnerability to cyberscams for people with acquired brain injury: Delphi and cognitive interviews with clinicians and people with acquired brain injury

Background Although individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) may be vulnerable to cyberscams, the lack of existing measures documenting cybersafety behaviours in people with ABI limits our understanding of ABI-specific risk factors, the frequency of this problem, and the ability to evaluate evidence-based interventions. The CyberABIlity Scale was developed to assess vulnerability in people with ABI via self-rated statements and practical scam-identification tasks. This study aimed to develop and refine The CyberABIlity Scale through feedback from clinicians and people with ABI. Methods Scale feedback was collected via three rounds of clinician surveys (n  = 14) using Delphi methods and two rounds of cognitive interviews with participants with ABI (n  = 8). Following each round, feedback was quantitatively and qualitatively summarised, and revisions were made accordingly. Results Key revisions included removing 12 items deemed irrelevant. Instructions and rating scales were revised to improve clarity. Cognitive interviews identified 15 comprehension errors, with further revisions made to support response clarity for participants with ABI. Clinicians and participants with ABI endorsed the content and face validities of The CyberABIlity Scale . Conclusions Following further validation, The CyberABIlity Scale has the potential to be an effective screening measure for online vulnerability for people with ABI within clinical and research settings.

Trust and betrayal in older adult financial exploitation

OBJECTIVES

Although the knowledge base regarding the financial exploitation of older adults is expanding, work to understand the subpopulations of older adult financial exploitation victims and their experiences is greatly needed. This study uses betrayal trauma theory (BTT) as the foundation for conceptualizing the harm that arises from elder family financial exploitation.

METHODS

The study uses a cross-sectional design to investigate group differences among a total sample of 95 community-dwelling older adults, 32 of the participants (33.7%) were older adult victims of family financial exploitation and the remaining 63 (66.3%) were victims of financial exploitation perpetrated by strangers.

RESULTS

The group of older adults who were victims of elder family financial exploitation had significantly lower functional ability scores, higher stress and financial exploitation vulnerability scores and lost more money on average than those victimized by strangers.

CONCLUSION

The present study provides support that BTT provides a valuable framework for understanding why older adult family financial exploitation victims are more vulnerable than victims of exploitation committed by strangers. Attention to this subgroup of financially exploited older adults will provide improved understanding of the unique challenges these victims face and inform prevention and intervention services.

Financial Stressors and Resources Associated With Financial Exploitation

Background and Objectives

The prevalence of older adult financial exploitation (FE) is increasing. Population-based survey estimates of FE in the older adult population range from 5% to 11%. Given the growing prevalence of FE victimization in older adult populations, understanding the population's vulnerability to FE has increased in importance. This study investigates a conceptual framework in an attempt to understand how financial stressors and resources are associated with substantiated FE in a sample consisting largely of Black older adults.

Research Design and Methods

The study uses a cross-sectional design to investigate group differences among a total sample of 142 community-dwelling older adult participants, 62 of whom sought services to address FE and 80 with no history of FE.

Results

The group of older adults who sought services to address FE was more likely to be unmarried and had fewer years of education. Measures of financial literacy and perceived financial vulnerability had protective and risk effects, respectively.

Discussion and Implications

The present study found that sociodemographic and financial stress and resource measures have significant relationships with FE. These findings support the conceptual framework describing their relationship. This new conceptual framework provides a guiding factor in better understanding vulnerability to FE in older adults. The study also adds to the paucity of research completed on FE with Black older adults.