The association between subjective age and financial exploitation vulnerability among older adults: The moderating role of social support

ABSTRACT

Financial exploitation of older adults bears detrimental physical and psychological consequences. However, risk factors of financial exploitation vulnerability (FEV) remain elusive. In line with a growing awareness of the importance of subjective perceptions of the aging process for older adults’ functioning and well-being, this study examined the connection between subjective age (feeling younger/older than one’s chronological age) and FEV, and the moderating effect of social support on this connection. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 137 Israeli older adults (age range 60–89, M = 69.90, SD = 6.85), who completed scales of FEV, subjective age, and social support, as well as relevant socio-demographic information. Older subjective age was associated with increased FEV when social support was low, but not when social support was high. Results are discussed in line with Socio-Emotional Selectivity Theory and provide initial information pertaining to the relevance of subjective age perceptions to FEV in older adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Financial exploitation
• subjective age
• social support
• older adults

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data is available at https://osf.io/n8qs6/

IRB approval

The study was approved by the IRB of the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, on 30/11/20 (approval no. 12/20)

Author contribution

Both authors were responsible for the study design. Dr. Weissberger collected the data and wrote the first draft, and Dr. Bergman performed the statistical analyses and wrote the methodological parts. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.