The Malaysian Elder Abuse Scale (MEAS) is a tool used to measure elder abuse in Malaysia. It was developed by researchers at the University of Malaya in 2010 and is based on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of elder abuse. The MEAS is a self–report questionnaire that consists of 20 items divided into four subscales: physical abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse, and neglect. The MEAS is designed to measure the prevalence of elder abuse in Malaysia and to identify the characteristics of abusers and victims. The MEAS has been validated in a study of 590 elderly people in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The results of the study showed that the MEAS had good reliability and validity. The MEAS is a useful tool for assessing elder abuse in Malaysia and can be used to inform interventions and policies to protect elderly people from abuse.
1. Have you ever been tied up or locked in a room?
2. Have you ever been hit‚ kicked or slapped
3. Have you ever been called with insulting names?
4. Have you ever been threatened with a knife?
5. Have you ever been yelled at?
6. Have you ever been threatened with punishment?
7. Have you ever been scolded?
8. Have you ever felt that you are been stalked or followed around?
9. Have your money‚ property‚ or other assets used‚ taken‚ sold or transferred without permission?
10.Have your signature been forged on cheques or other financial documents?
Physical abuse‚ Psychological abuse‚ Financial abuse
Yes‚ No
Physical abuse (1‚ 2‚ 3 and 4)‚ Psychological abuse (5‚ 6‚ 7 and 8)‚ Financial abuse (9 and 10)
This instrument can be found at: http://file.scirp.org/pdf/OJPsych_2013062615344464.pdf
Hamid‚ T.A.‚ et al. (2010) Socio demographic risk factors and correlates of dementia in older Malaysians. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders‚ 30‚ 533-539.
Momtaz‚ Y.A.‚ et al. (2010) Mediating effects of social and personal religiosity on the psychological well-being of widowed elderly people. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying‚ 60‚ 145-162.
Hamid‚ Tengku. Aizan.‚ Abolfathi Momtaz‚Yadollah.‚ Ibrahim‚ Rahimah.‚ et al. (2013). Development and psychometric properties of the Malaysian elder abuse scale . Open Journal of Psychiatry‚ 3‚ 283-289