The psychological toll of unwanted pursuit behaviors and intimate partner violence on undergraduate women: a dominance analysis

Dardis, Christina M.; Strauss, Catherine V.; Gidycz, Christine A.

doi:10.1037/vio0000189

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The psychological toll of unwanted pursuit behaviors and intimate partner violence on undergraduate women: a dominance analysis
Citation	Dardis CM, Strauss CV, Gidycz CA. Psychol. Violence 2019; 9(2): 209-220.
Copyright	(Copyright © 2019, American Psychological Association)
DOI	10.1037/vio0000189
PMID	unavailable
Abstract	OBJECTIVE: Despite heightened attention to intimate partner violence (IPV) toward undergraduate women, unwanted pursuit behaviors (UPBs) have received much less attention. The purpose of the present study was to refine and validate existing in-person and cyber UPB measures, examine their association with other forms of IPV, and assess the unique impact of UPBs on posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depressive symptoms. METHOD: Undergraduate women (N = 318) completed measures assessing the frequency and levels of fear and annoyance caused by cyber and in-person UPBs, and measures of IPV, PTSS, and depressive symptoms. Factor analyses and comparisons based on psychological outcomes were used to determine the suitability of the removal of items rated as low in fear and annoyance. Dominance analyses assessed incremental contributions of each type of UPBs and IPV to PTSS and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Five in-person UPB items were rated as low in annoyance, and fear and were removed; scale structure was unaffected by their removal. After their removal, fewer women were identified as UPB victims, and those who were no longer identified as victims did not differ from others who were not victimized with respect to psychological outcomes. Dominance analyses indicated that cyber contact UPBs (e.g., threatening calls or texts) contributed more incremental variance to PTSS and depressive symptoms than did any other form of UPB or IPV. CONCLUSIONS: Findings call attention to the particular need for practitioners and policymakers to better address cyber UPBs and their prevention, which are frequently overlooked in present IPV prevention efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Keywords	College Students; Intimate Partner Violence; Major Depression; Post-Traumatic Stress; Stalking; Symptoms; Test Construction