U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Assessment and Treatment of Obsessional Harassment

NCJ Number
186819
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 5 Issue: 6 Dated: November-December 2000 Pages: 529-549
Author(s)
Barry Rosenfeld
Date Published
2000
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the existing research on obsessional harassment/stalking and offers a diagnostic typology of these offenders based on the nature of the relationship with the victim and the motivation of the offender.
Abstract
The article first profiles stalkers. They include former intimates, such as an ex-spouse or ex-lover; fans or followers of public figures; and individuals who perceive themselves to be victims of unfair treatment. The author then identifies and describes the most common mental disorders among obsessional harassment offenders, namely, delusional disorders, schizophrenia, mania, and personality disorders. This is followed by a discussion of the prevalence of various diagnostic categories in obsessional harassment offenders. Treatment approaches are then reviewed for "primary" delusional disorders, other psychotic disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse, and obsessive compulsive disorders. An overview of clinical issues in the evaluation and treatment of obsessional harassment addresses diagnostic accuracy in obsessional harassment evaluations, countertransference issues, and the assessment of treatment compliance/outcome. A discussion of strategies for initiating treatment for unmotivated or unwilling offenders focuses on criminal law options and civil law options. 57 references