Mediational Role of Self-efficacy between Selected Bio-psychosocial Factors and Elder Self-Neglect among Community-Dwelling Older Malaysian Adults

Elder abuse and neglect have been reported as significant public health and societal problem in many different societies across the world. In Malaysia, older adults recorded a high prevalence of neglect compared to other types of elder abuse. There is a dearth of empirical work on elder self-neglect (ESN) among the older population in Malaysia. This paper aims to explore the mediational role of self-efficacy on the relationship between selected biopsychosocial factors and ESN among community-living older adults in Selangor, Malaysia. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey to gather data from a representative sample of 202 older adults from Selangor. A newly developed scale of 16-items of elder self-neglect (ESN) was used in this study. The results showed that self-efficacy partially mediated the association between ADL, IADL, depression, and capacity of self-care on ESN. Self-efficacy also fully mediated the association between neuroticism, life satisfaction, social network, and education on ESN. These findings provided a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of self-neglect among older Malaysian adults. The results will also serve as a useful reference for professionals and policymakers to develop uniform guidelines, protocols, or programs to handle cases of elder self-neglect in the community.