How traditional stalking and cyberstalking correlate with the Dark Tetrad traits?

This research aimed to explore the dimensionality of online and offline stalking forms and the associations between Dark Tetrad traits and perpetration of various stalking behaviors. Serbian adults (N = 232; 64.2% women) completed the Short Dark Triad, the Short Sadistic Impulse Scale, the Cyberstalking Scale, and a newly developed instrument-the Stalking Behavior Scale-which measures aggravated, intrusive, and surveillance forms of stalking. Cyberstalking was associated with all of the Dark Tetrad traits, but the other forms of stalking were corelated with different Dark Tetrad traits. For instance, aggravated stalking was associated with psychopathy and sadism whereas surveillance stalking was associated with Machiavellianism and narcissism. We suggest that psychopathy and sadism were related to direct, in-person, riskier, and severe stalking, while Machiavellianism and narcissism were related to indirect and covert stalking.

Automated summary

This study explores the dimensions of online and offline stalking forms, as well as the relationship between Dark Tetrad traits and various stalking behaviors. The findings suggest that psychopathy and sadism are associated with direct and severe stalking, while Machiavellianism and narcissism are related to indirect and covert stalking.