CHILDHOOD MOLESTATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG LATE ADULTS IN BAMENDA III SUB-DIVISION

Abstract

This study sought to investigate childhood molestation (with emphasis on childhoos sexual abuse) on the psychological well-being of late adults in Bamenda III Sub-Division. The research specifically sought to provide answer to one research question which is: What is the effect of childhood sexual abuse on the psychological well-being of late adults? Sigmund Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory and Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory provided the theoretical underpinning for this study. The concurrent mixed method design was used which gave the authors the latitude to make use of quantitative and qualitative data. In this regard, structured questionnaires and unstructured interviews were the main instruments for data collection. The sample was made up of some 200 elderly persons above the age of 65 purposively selected from the neighborhoods of Ntagem 1, Center Bolt, Mile 2 Nkwen, and Upper Bayele Nkwen all located in the Bamenda III sub-division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Result shows that a moderate positive relationship (R = 0.814) exists between childhood molestation and psychological well-being of late adults. There was therefore, a significant effect of childhood molestation on the psychological well-being of late adults. Recommendations were made to parents, caregivers and the government especially as concerns taking care of the health of the elderly.