Undue Influence Models - IDEAL
IDEAL (Copyright© by Bennett Blum)
IDEAL was created in the 1990's primarily for use in cases involving elder financial abuse and probate; however, it has since proven useful in many types of cases involving excessive or inappropriate manipulation tactics. It is taught in many countries, and is the basis for the highly successful "Undue Influence Worksheet." The factors in IDEAL are:
Isolation
Dependency
Emotional manipulation and/or Exploitation of a weakness
Acquiescence
Loss
“Isolation” – This refers to isolation from pertinent information, friends, relatives, or usual advisors. Causes include: medical disorders; a history of poor relationships with others; perpetrator interference; geographic changes (e.g. travel); and technological isolation (e.g. loss of telephone services).
“Dependency” - This refers to dependence upon the perpetrator, such as for physical support, emotional factors, or information.
“Emotional manipulation” or “Exploitation of a weakness” - This often manifests as a combination of promises and threats regarding either issues of safety and security, or companionship and friendship. Perpetrators sometimes make use of victim weakness or vulnerabilities. It is not unusual to encounter cases in which, for example, a perpetrator provides alcohol to an alcoholic, or has him execute documents despite knowing that the victim is mentally impaired due to acute or long-term effects of alcohol; having a vision-impaired person sign a legal document; or misrepresenting documents and their consequences to the cognitively impaired.
“Acquiescence” - This refers to the victim’s apparent consent or submission. The act is not truly voluntary, but is instead the product of inaccurate, misleading or deceptive information that is believed due to the victim’s impairments and/or relationship with the perpetrator.
“Loss” - This refers to damages, such as inter vivos financial loss.
Who is susceptible to undue influence? (The answers may surprise you.)
Other methods of assessing undue influence:
Elder Abuse, Financial Loss, and Undue Influence: FAQs.
Download articles and the "Undue Influence Worksheet" by Dr. Blum.
Click here to learn about finding experts on undue influence.
