Development and Validation of the Stalking and Obsessive Relational Intrusions Questionnaire (SORI-Q)

Abstract

Stalking and obsessive relational intrusions both refer to a pervasive and unwanted pattern of pursuit behaviors, the former being a criminal offense evoking fear and a sense of menace in the victim, while the latter may be perceived as annoying or otherwise undesirable, but not necessarily fear inducing. While the individual and societal costs of stalking and obsessive relational intrusion are increasingly recognized, research regarding these behaviors and their consequences has been limited by measurement issues, as most studies have relied on questionnaires and checklists based on very limited validation data. The goal of the present study is to report on the development and validation of the Stalking and Obsessive Relational Intrusions Questionnaire (SORI-Q), a 28-item self-report questionnaire designed to probe for perpetration of stalking-like behaviors. Young adults (age 18–30 years) from a community sample ( N = 1,804; 82.6% women) were recruited online. They completed the SORI-Q, along with measures of dark personality traits, insecure attachment dimensions, and intimate partner violence. Overall, the SORI-Q displayed sound psychometric properties. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis yielded a two-factor solution ( Hyper-intimacy and Domineering control) with adequate to good fit indices. The total scale and the two factor scores showed high internal consistency (above 0.70 for all indices). A number of gender differences were observed at total-, factor-, and item-level, the most outstanding being that women had a higher score on the total SORI-Q score, and on the Domineering control factor and most of its items. The questionnaire showed conceptually meaningful positive correlations with dark personality traits, attachment anxiety, and intimate partner violence. Dominance analysis revealed that attachment anxiety and Machiavellianism were the strongest statistical predictors of SORI-Q scores. The SORI-Q should be seen as a promising new measure of stalking-like and ORI behaviors in young adults from community settings.

Stalking perpetration through the lens of the alternative DSM‐5 model for personality disorders

“…Detachment, and more Psychoticism). These observations are consistent with Gamache, Savard, Faucher, and Cloutier's (2021) observation that Hyper-Intimacy might be associated with more discomfort and confusion about closeness and interpersonal boundaries.…”

“…The Stalking and Obsessive Relational Intrusions Questionnaire (SORI‐Q; Gamache, Savard, Faucher, & Cloutier, 2021) covers a wide range of stalking‐like behaviours in intimate relationships. It includes 28 items that probe for both perpetration and victimization of those behaviours (only perpetration scores are considered in the present study).…”

“…Items are scored on a 7‐point scale ranging from This never occurred to This occurred 20 times or more over the past year . The SORI‐Q provides a global score ( α = 0.83) and two factor scores, that were determined through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in women and men subsamples (Gamache, Savard, Faucher, & Cloutier, 2021): Hyper‐Intimacy ( α = 0.78) and Domineering Control ( α = 0.71).…”

“…Data suggest that stalking mostly occurs in the context of intimate relationships (United Kingdom Office for National Statistics, 2017), often after a breakup (Spitzberg et al, 2010). Recent research has highlighted that stalking and ORI are multifactored and likely include themes such as Hyper‐Intimacy, surveillance, mediated contact, harassment/intimidation, coercion/threat, invasion, and aggression/violence (e.g., Gamache, Savard, Faucher, & Cloutier, 2021; McEwan et al, 2020).…”

“…Based on previous research on IPV (Dowgwillo et al, 2016; Munro & Sellbom, 2020), some men–women differences might be found pertaining to the most dominant statistical predictors of stalking. However, drawing clear hypotheses from IPV research is somewhat difficult since different methodologies were used and inconsistent results have been reported; and (d) considering that stalking perpetration is multifactored (e.g., Gamache, Savard, Faucher, & Cloutier, 2021; McEwan et al, 2020), the most significant individual predictors of stalking behaviours are likely to be slightly different across the different types of stalking perpetration. In the present study, these types were subsumed under the two factors identified in Gamache, Savard, Faucher, and Cloutier (2021): Hyper‐Intimacy, that is, typical courtship activities taken to an excessive level, invasion of personal boundaries and relationships; and Domineering Control, that is, hostile control and domination over the other, and surveillance/spying.…”