Post-relationship stalking and intimate partner abuse in a sample of Australian adolescents

Abstract

Purpose: There is limited research examining stalking among adolescents. This study investigates adolescent stalking following an intimate relationship, or post-relationship stalking (PRS), potential links with youth intimate partner abuse (YIPA) during the relationship, and examines psychological processes hypothesised to be associated with perpetrating PRS. Methods: Four hundred and twenty-three participants aged between 14–18 years were recruited from Australian secondary schools, with a subsample of 205 who reported on experiences of YIPA and PRS used in this study. Results: Results showed that PRS was prevalent, with 19% (n = 33) reporting victimisation and 18% (n = 31) perpetration. Significant relationships were found between the experience of PRS and prior YIPA victimisation. Rumination about relationships was significantly related to PRS perpetration. Conclusions: These findings add to the small body of literature on adolescent stalking and emphasise the need for more research into this phenomenon in order to guide developmentally appropriate prevention and intervention strategies.