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ABSTRACT Objectives: to analyze the relationship of general, physical, and psychological violence with depressive symptoms and cognition in the elderly. Methods: quantitative, cross-sectional study, carried out with 323 elders from the Brazilian northeast. Data collection used a sociodemographic instrument; the Conflict Tactics Scales Form R; the Geriatric Depression Scale; and the Mini-Mental State Examination. The analysis employed descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: as violence increases, so do the depressive symptoms; the opposite was true when comparing violence with cognitive involvement. There is a correlation between physical and psychological violence and depressive symptoms; more depressive elders are from 1.96 to 3.00 times more likely to be the victims of psychological and physical violence, respectively. Conclusions: general, physical, and psychological violence is associated with depressive symptoms; those with less cognitive alterations are more vulnerable to abuse. Elders with depressive symptoms are more likely to suffer psychological and physically violence.