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Stalking and Psychological Abuse: Common Factors and Relationship-Specific Characteristics

NCJ Number
200765
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 18 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2003 Pages: 163-180
Author(s)
Melanie Livet Dye; Keith E. Davis
Date Published
April 2003
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article examines theoretical antecedents of stalking behavior following a relationship break-up and the perpetration of psychological abuse during a relationship.
Abstract
Research has shown that stalking and the occurrence of psychological abuse are common and have deleterious effects on the well-being of the victims. The authors hypothesized that stalking behavior and perpetration of psychological abuse share a set of similar predictors and thus, similar underlying mechanisms. The authors also hypothesized that specific features of a relationship context and background personality variables can be predictive of both stalking and the perpetration of psychological abuse. In order to test these hypotheses, the authors examined a series of questionnaires completed by 341 college students who had been in intimate relationships. The questionnaires focused on the participants’ most recent breakup and aspects of their former relationship. More specifically, three factors of relationships were measured: angry-jealous emotional reactions to a breakup, breakup initiation, and quality of the relationship. Four personality characteristics were measured: trait anger, control of partner, attachment, and harsh parental discipline. Results indicated support for the hypotheses, with harsh parental discipline, anxious attachment, and need for control over a partner as predictive factors for stalking behavior and perpetration of psychological abuse. Relationship dissatisfaction added to the predictive factors for psychological abuse, while level of anger-jealousy over the breakup added predictive factors for stalking. Study limitations include a restricted population of only college students and the data obtained were cross-sectional rather than longitudinal. Tables, figures, notes, and references

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