@article{ref1,
title="What is cyberstalking? A review of measurements",
journal="Journal of interpersonal violence",
year="2021",
author="Garratt-Reed, David and Sheridan, Lorraine and Wilson, Chanelle",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="The absence of a widely accepted definition of cyberstalking has resulted in studies operationalizing it in various ways, reducing the comparability and generalizability  of findings. The present work examined the most common behaviors and criteria used  to operationalize cyberstalking within the quantitative literature. The definitions  employed by the studies were evaluated in respect of (a) whether they included a  minimum requirement for the number of times the behaviors needed to be repeated in  order to be considered &quot;cyberstalking&quot;; (b) whether victim fear was required for the  behaviors to be considered &quot;cyberstalking&quot;; (c) the timeframe within which the  cyberstalking behavior needed to have occurred; and (d) the behaviors identified as  indicating cyberstalking. The results demonstrated considerable variation in the  specificity of criteria used. Of the 33 studies examined, 45% specifically defined a  minimum number of behavioral repetitions required to classify the behaviors as  &quot;cyberstalking,&quot; although there were some discrepancies in the number of behaviors  specified across studies. Only 30% of studies included victim fear as a criterion  and 70% of studies did not include specific timeframe requirements in which the  behaviors needed to have occurred within. The number and description of behaviors  included within scales used to measure &quot;cyberstalking&quot; varied widely. Some  instruments utilized as many as 24 different items, whilst others identified  cyberstalking through the use of two items. A series of recommendations are advanced  aimed at providing criteria for defining and operationalizing cyberstalking that can  be employed by future studies, with the ultimate aim of allowing greater  comparability between results. From this a consistent knowledge base can be  developed, and with it a deeper understanding of cyberstalking and how to counter  it.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0886-2605",
doi="10.1177/0886260520985489",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0886260520985489"
}