A Wolf in sheep’s clothing: taxometric evidence of the dimensional structure of stalking
Journal of Criminal Psychology
ISSN: 2009-3829
Article publication date: 3 January 2023
Issue publication date: 23 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the latent structure of stalking. Stalking can be defined as a pattern of repeated and unwanted behaviours that cause another person to be afraid. The consequences for the victims can be severe and potentially happen over a long period of time. While stalking is considered as a taxon, empirical evidence and an absence of pathognomonic criteria point towards a dimensional structure.
Design/methodology/approach
The aim of this study is to examine the latent structure of stalking using taxometric analyses on the Severity of Stalking Behaviours Scale. Analyses were conducted on a sample of N = 1,032 victims’ accounts, who had contacted the National Stalking Helpline in the UK.
Findings
Taxometric analyses revealed that stalking presents a dimensional structure, and no taxonic peaks emerged. The results were consistent across analyses (MAMBAC, MAXEIG and L-Mode), indicators (CCFI, curves) and measures (items, factors).
Research limitations/implications
A dimensional structure implies that individual variation is a matter of intensity, and the present results suggest that the conceptualization of stalking should be modified. Understanding stalking from a dimensional perspective provides support to study stalking in non-clinical populations. Scales that measure stalking should provide discrimination along the entire continuum rather than focusing on putative taxonic boundaries and arbitrary threshold.
Originality/value
This paper is proposing the first set of taxometric analyses on stalking. The results are providing empirical support to the idea that stalking exists on a continuum. It also strengthened the validity of previous findings in non-clinical populations and their applications all along the continuum, including with clinical populations.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and the National Stalking Helpline for their consent to access and use their database. The authors hope that their research will help to improve their practice on the prevention of stalking and their responses to the victims.
Compliance with ethical standards
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed consent: For this type of study, formal consent is not required.
Citation
Longpré, N., Stefanska, E.B., Tachmetzidi Papoutsi, M. and White, E. (2023), "A Wolf in sheep’s clothing: taxometric evidence of the dimensional structure of stalking", Journal of Criminal Psychology, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 18-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-09-2021-0038
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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