Informant Personality Descriptions of Postintimate Stalkers Using the Five Factor Profile

Abstract

Psychological descriptions of stalkers are few, especially nonforensic cases. As direct assessment is often hindered by lack of cooperation, assessment by informants may be a next-best approach. Indirect assessment may be most fruitfully applied among postintimate stalkers using instruments that are specifically validated for this purpose. Accordingly, in this study, we documented the psychological profile of 112 male postintimate stalkers as judged by ex-partners and/or subsequent victims using the Five Factor Personality Inventory (Hendriks, Hofstee, & de Raad, 1999b) and indexes of attachment and psychopathology. As compared to the Dutch norms, postintimate stalkers were described as extremely low on Agreeableness and moderately low on Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability. Most often insecurely attached with underlying negative self-representations, they were characterized as relatively functional people with strong sensitivities to rejection, abandonment, and loss.