Abstract
The present study examined the gap between ideal and actual images about the elderly with regard to the occurrence or repetition of elder abuse. Semantic differential (SD) data for ideal and actual images were collected from 267 staff members in nursing care facilities. A factor analysis yielded three factors: “familiarity,” “sadness,” and “selfishness.” A logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the influence of the gap between ideal and actual images with regard to elder abuse. The results indicated that the gap score for “familiarity” had an effect on the occurrence and repetition of violent actions, abusive language, and use of imperative words.
