Cyberstalking scale: development and relations with gender, FOMO and social media engagement

Abstract

Cyberstalking is a form of persecution that has proliferated with technology’s evolution. The present research aimed to develop a cyberstalking measure and observe its relations with Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), social media engagement, and sociodemographic variables. To achieve these goals, two studies were performed. In the first study, 200 subjects (76.5% female, with a mean age of 21.6 years) answered the 15 items originally developed for the scale. These data went trough exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha to verify the reliability of the instrument. The results indicated the exclusion of five items, and after this removal, the scale was valid and reliable (α = 0.86). In the second study, which also had 200 subjects (65% female and an average age of 21.8 years), was realized confirmatory factor analysis (measuring the model fit), accompanied by correlations and mediation analysis. The analyzes demonstrated that the one-factor model was adequate (GFI = 0.98; CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.02; SRMR = 0.06). Path analysis showed social media engagement as a significant mediator of FOMO and gender’s impact on cyberstalking: Both had direct (FOMO: λ = 0.31; CI = 0.19–0.42; p < 0.01; Gender: λ = 0.12; CI = 0.02–0.22; p < 0.05) and indirect effects (FOMO: λ = 0.07; CI = 0.03–0.11; p < 0.01; Gender: λ = 0.04; CI = 0.01–0.07; p < 0.01).

Unpacking the Potential Influence of Life Satisfaction on Network Heterogeneity, Emotional Exhaustion and Mobile App Fatigue: A Stressor–Strain–Outcome Approach

“…According to the results, the life satisfaction of mobile app users has no effect on privacy concerns, which is a component of network heterogeneity. This might be explained by the truth that consumers may be wary of the privacy guarantees made by online services such as Weibo and WeChat [ 7 , 18 ]. Such users may be proactive in maintaining privacy restrictions on these platforms in order to produce a perceivably satisfying and even perfect usage scenario, thus proactively securing their life satisfaction.…”

“…Scholars have determined that mobile apps have assisted users in expanding their social contacts, improving their self-esteem and well-being, and benefiting from an abundance of options for self-presentation [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Numerous studies have explored the negative influences of mobile device usage on people’s well-being, including the potential for cyber stalking [ 7 ], fear of missing out [ 8 , 9 ], and mobile-app-use-induced adverse reactions, such as guilt [ 10 ], anxiety, depressive moods [ 11 , 12 , 13 ], and even exhaustion [ 3 , 14 ]. Users’ life satisfaction is one of the concerns that academics have been paying close attention to [ 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”

Dark Personality Traits and Online Behaviors: Portuguese Versions of Cyberstalking, Online Harassment, Flaming and Trolling Scales

“…The alpha values found are close to the original scale. One of the advantages of this scale is that it considered not only romantic relationships (past, current, and desired), but also included persecution of acquaintances and people that the perpetrator suspects/dislikes [ 51 ].…”

“…Silva Santos et al [ 51 ] developed a cyberstalking measure for the Brazilian population. Initially, this scale had 15 items, but after exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha, five items were removed, remaining 10 items.…”

“…The ten items solution presents a Cronbach alpha value of 0.82. A confirmatory factor analysis proved that the one-factor model was adequate [ 51 ]. This instrument has not been validated for the Portuguese population, so, its measurement will be carried out in this study.…”