Intimate Partner Cyberstalking: Exploring Vulnerable Narcissism, Secondary Psychopathy, Borderline Traits, and...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Criminology
• Cyberpsychology

Background:

• Intimate partner cyberstalking involves monitoring and controlling partners via technology.
• Research on motives and perpetration of intimate partner cyberstalking is limited compared to stranger cyberstalking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between vulnerable narcissism, secondary psychopathy, borderline traits (Vulnerable Dark Triad), and rejection sensitivity with intimate partner cyberstalking.
• To explore the moderating role of borderline traits on the relationship between sex and intimate partner cyberstalking.
• To examine the indirect effect of vulnerable narcissism on intimate partner cyberstalking via rejection sensitivity.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous online questionnaire administered to 278 participants (58% women) recruited via social media.
• Statistical analyses including correlational, moderation, and mediation analyses were performed.

Main Results:

• Positive correlations were found between vulnerable narcissism, secondary psychopathy, borderline traits, rejection sensitivity, and intimate partner cyberstalking.
• Borderline traits moderated the effect of sex on intimate partner cyberstalking, with women high in borderline traits exhibiting the highest perpetration rates.
• Rejection sensitivity mediated the relationship between vulnerable narcissism and intimate partner cyberstalking.

Conclusions:

• Relational insecurity and rejection sensitivity are crucial factors in intimate partner cyberstalking.
• Findings suggest specific personality traits and sensitivities are associated with cyberstalking behaviors in intimate relationships.
• Highlights the need for further research into the psychological underpinnings of cyberstalking within romantic partnerships.