Abstract:
"Dominant approaches to relational aggression among older adults tend to conceptualize the problem as a behavioralor interpersonal issue, and can inadvertently infantilize the phenomenon as ‘bullying.’ In this article we use a narrative approach and the conceptual lens of precarity to develop an in-depth, theoretically informed analysis of relational aggression between older women in low-income assisted living. The analysis of the narratives of tenants (and a manager) indicated that past life experiences and intersecting threats to power andidentity shaped and could intensify tenants' interpretations of and reactions to others' actions and comments.Conflicts over a) unequal distributions of caring labor, b) control of social activities, and c) access to appreciationare complex and rational responses to precarious contextual conditions. Findings contribute empirically to the body of research on relational aggression among older adults, expanding this field through connecting it to critical gerontological conceptualizations of precarity. Preventing relational aggression requires increased public investment in formal social supports for older adults, challenging dominant discourses that privilege independence, and recognizing how the legacies of past disadvantage and contextual precarity (as opposed to mental illness or dementia) shape social interactions with and responses to others."
Funk L.M., Herron R., Spencer D., Dansereau L., Wrathall M.
Source: Journal of Aging Studies
Publishing Criteria
Any resource posted on the Hub is first screened based on the publishing criteria. If you wish to share a resource with the community, please ensure that it fits the requirements and email it to us. We usually post material within 72hrs of receiving it.
Invitation to Contribute
Become a contributor to the hub!
- Share your ongoing projects, research updates and favourite tools
- Announce your upcoming events
- Tell us about promising practices and initiatives via a blog post.
Check out our publishing criteria or email us for more information
Thank You to Our Supporters and Sponsors
Membership Signup
Get a free membership to the CNPEA
- Get notices of upcoming CNPEA events
- Receive project updates