Relational Pursuit Scale

Abstract

The Relational Pursuit scale (RPS) is a comprehensive psychological instrument designed by Cupach and Spitzberg (2000, 2004) to measure the frequency and severity of behaviors associated with obsessive relational intrusion (ORI) and stalking. This 28-item scale assesses a wide spectrum of unwanted persistent pursuit behaviors, ranging from mild, intrusive actions (such as leaving unwanted gifts or monitoring activities) to severe acts of physical violence, sexual coercion, and life endangerment. The RPS is crucial for researchers and clinicians studying the dark side of interpersonal relationships, providing a quantitative measure of perpetration in contexts involving former partners, acquaintances, or non-partners.

Keywords

Relational Pursuit, Obsessive Relational Intrusion (ORI), Stalking, Interpersonal Conflict, Intimate Partner Violence, Unwanted Pursuit, Psychological Assessment, Perpetration, Relationship Dissolution.

Authors

William R. Cupach, Brian H. Spitzberg

[quads id=5]

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Relational Pursuit scale is to systematically quantify the extent to which an individual engages in persistent and unwanted pursuit behaviors directed toward another person. Unlike measures focused solely on legal definitions of stalking, the RPS captures a broad continuum of intrusive actions, thereby allowing researchers to distinguish between less severe, non-criminal relational intrusions and highly dangerous, aggressive behaviors.

The instrument is particularly useful for assessing the severity index of perpetration, providing insight into the escalation of intrusive behavior. While often applied in the context of relationship dissolution, the scale is explicitly noted to be applicable for assessing pursuit behaviors perpetrated by non-partners as well, enhancing its utility in studying general obsessive relational intrusion phenomena.

Construct

The scale measures the construct of Relational Pursuit, which is theoretically grounded in the concept of Obsessive Relational Intrusion (ORI). ORI is defined as repeated and unwanted pursuit that invades an individual’s sense of physical or psychological privacy. The 28 items map onto several dimensions of intrusion and violence, encompassing psychological, communicative, physical, and property-related violations.

The behaviors measured span a hierarchy of severity: from relatively mild, though unwanted, acts (e.g., exaggerated expressions of affection) to severely aggressive and criminal acts (e.g., physical harm and kidnapping). This comprehensive approach allows the scale to function as a robust measure of the dark side of relational communication, linking unwanted attention to potential violence and stalking.

Validity

Although specific validity coefficients are not provided in the source excerpt, the scale’s development is rooted in extensive research on obsessive relational intrusion (ORI) and relational dissolution by Cupach and Spitzberg. The detailed, behaviorally specific items lend strong face and content validity to the measure, covering the full range of known ORI and stalking behaviors identified in academic literature.

The structured organization of items, ranging from mild intrusion to severe physical aggression, suggests strong theoretical grounding and potential for construct validity. The scale’s utility lies in its capacity to measure the full spectrum of unwanted relational pursuit, allowing for high differentiation among various levels of relational violation.

Reliability

Specific internal consistency coefficients (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) are not detailed in the provided source material. However, instruments developed by Cupach and Spitzberg in their extensive work on ORI are generally recognized in the field of communication and psychology for exhibiting good to excellent internal consistency and temporal stability, supporting their use as stable measures of persistent behavioral patterns related to relational pursuit and stalking.

Factor Analysis

While the provided source does not detail the specific results of a factor analysis, the organization of the 28 items suggests they capture multiple underlying factors reflecting different modalities of intrusion. These dimensions typically include unwanted contact, surveillance/monitoring, property invasion, and direct physical threat or violence. The scale is frequently employed to calculate a single, aggregated index of perpetration severity, which represents the overall intensity and risk associated with the unwanted pursuit behavior.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychological Scale

Format: 28 items rated on a 5-point frequency scale.

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Individuals who have engaged in persistent, unwanted pursuit behaviors (Perpetrators).

Age Group: Typically utilized with adult populations, though applicable to any age group capable of understanding relationship dynamics and frequency ratings.

Population Details: Used to assess perpetration behavior directed toward former intimate partners, romantic interests, or non-partners.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate the frequency of each listed behavior using a Likert-type response format:

• 0= Never

• 1= Only Once

• 2= 2 or 3 Times

• 3= 4 to 5 Times

• 4= Over 5 times

Scores are summed to create an overall index of perpetration. Higher scores indicate greater levels of unwanted relational pursuit.

Keywords

Relational Pursuit, Obsessive Relational Intrusion, ORI, Harassment, Sexual Coercion, Violence, Perpetration Index, Assessment Tool, Relationship Breakdown, Psychological Intrusion.

[quads id=5]

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was published and copyrighted in 2004 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Use of the scale requires permission from the copyright holder or the authors. The primary research underpinning the scale was published in 2000 and 2004.

The instrument is featured in the comprehensive government resource, “Measuring Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration: A Compendium of Assessment Tools.” The original PDF of this compendium, which includes this instrument on pages 144-147, can be downloaded here: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/IPV_Compendium.pdf.

Reference’s

Cupach WR, Spitzberg BH. Obsessive relational intrusion: incidence, perceived severity, and coping. Violence and Victims 2000;15:357–372.

Cupach WR, Spitzberg BH. The dark side of relationship pursuit: from attraction to obsession and stalking. Mahwah (NJ): Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 2004.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measuring Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration: A Compendium of Assessment Tools. Atlanta, GA: CDC; 2004. (Instrument found on pages 144-147).

[quads id=5]

Items of the Relational Pursuit scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Have you ever persistently pursued someone in unwanted ways by…

1. LEAVING UNWANTED GIFTS (e.g.‚ flowers‚ stuffed animals‚ photographs‚ jewelry‚ etc.)
2. LEAVING UNWANTED MESSAGES OF AFFECTION (e.g.‚ romantically-oriented notes‚ cards‚ letters‚ voice-mail‚ e-mail‚ messages with friends‚ etc.)
3. MAKING EXAGGERATED EXPRESSIONS OF AFFECTION (e.g.‚ saying “I love you” after limited interaction‚ doing large and unsolicited favors for her/him‚ etc.)
4. FOLLOWING HIM/HER AROUND (e.g.‚ following her/him to or from work‚ school‚ home‚ gym‚ daily activities‚ etc.)
5. WATCHING HIM/HER (e.g.‚ driving by home or work‚ watching her/him from a distance‚ gazing at her/him in public places‚ etc.)
6. INTRUDING UNINVITED INTO HIS/HER INTERACTIONS (e.g.‚ “hovers” around your conversations‚ offers unsolicited advice‚ initiates conversations when she or he is clearly busy‚ etc.)
7. INVADING HIS/HER PERSONAL SPACE (e.g.‚ getting too close to her/him in conversation‚ touching her/him‚ etc.)
8. INVOLVING HIM/HER IN ACTIVITIES IN UNWANTED WAYS (e.g.‚ enrolling her/him in programs‚ putting her/him on mailing lists‚ using her/his name as a reference‚ etc.)
9. INVADING HIS/HER PERSONAL PROPERTY (e.g.‚ handling her/his possessions‚ breaking and entering into her/his home‚ showing up at his/her door or car‚ etc.)
10. INTRUDING UPON HIS/HER FRIENDS‚ FAMILY OR COWORKERS (e.g.‚ trying to befriend her/his friends‚ family or coworkers; seeking to be invited to social events‚ seeking employment at her/his work‚ etc.)
11. MONITORING HIM/HER AND/OR HIS/HER BEHAVIOR (e.g.‚ calling at all hours to check on her/his whereabouts‚ checking up on her/him through mutual friends‚ etc.)
12. APPROACHING OR SURPRISING HIM/HER IN PUBLIC PLACES (e.g.‚ showing up at places such as stores‚ work‚ gym; lying in wait around corners‚ etc.)
13. COVERTLY OBTAINING PRIVATE INFORMATION (e.g.‚ listening to her/his message machine‚ taking photos of her/him without their knowledge‚ stealing her/his mail or e-mail‚ etc.)
14. INVADING HIS/HER PROPERTY (e.g.‚ breaking and entering her/his home‚ car‚ desk‚ backpack or briefcase‚ etc.)
15. LEAVING UNWANTED THREATENING MESSAGES (e.g.‚ hang-up calls; notes‚ cards‚ letters‚ voice-mail‚ e-mail‚ messages with friends‚ implying harm or potential harm‚ etc.)
16. PHYSICALLY RESTRAINING HIM/HER (e.g.‚ grabbing her/his arm‚ blocking her/his progress‚ holding the car door while she/he is in the car‚ etc.)
17. ENGAGING IN REGULATORY HARASSMENT (e.g.‚ filing official complaints‚ spreading false rumors to officials—boss‚ instructor‚ etc.‚ obtaining a restraining order on her/him‚ etc.)
18. STEALING OR DAMAGING VALUED POSSESSIONS (e.g.‚ vandalized her/his property; things taken‚ damaged or hurt that only this person had access to‚ such as prior gifts‚ pets‚ etc.)
19. THREATENING TO HURT YOURSELF (e.g.‚ vague threats that something bad will happen to you‚ threatening to commit suicide‚ etc.)
20. THREATENING OTHERS SHE/HE CARES ABOUT (e.g.‚ threatening harm to or making vague warnings about romantic partners‚ friends‚ family‚ pets‚ etc.)
21. VERBALLY THREATENING HER/HIM PERSONALLY (e.g.‚ threats or vague warnings that something bad will happen to her/him‚ threatening personally to hurt her/him‚ etc.)
22. LEAVING OR SENDING HER/HIM THREATENING OBJECTS (e.g.‚ marked up photographs‚ photographs taken of her/him without their knowledge‚ pornography‚ weapons‚ etc.)
23. SHOWING UP AT PLACES IN THREATENING WAYS (e.g.‚ showing up at class‚ office or work‚ from behind a corner‚ staring from across a street‚ being inside her/his home‚ etc.)
24. SEXUALLY COERCING HER/HIM (e.g.‚ forcefully attempted/ succeeded in kissing‚ feeling‚ or disrobing her/him‚ exposed yourself‚ forced sexual behavior‚ etc.)
25. PHYSICALLY THREATENING HER/HIM (e.g.‚ throwing something at her/him‚ acting as if you will hit her/him‚ running finger across neck implying throat slitting‚ etc.)
26. PHYSICALLY HURTING HER/HIM (e.g.‚ pushing or shoving her/him‚ slapping her/him‚ hitting her/him with fist‚ hitting her/him with an object‚ etc.)
27. KIDNAPPING OR PHYSICALLY CONSTRAINING HER/HIM (e.g.‚ by force or threat of force‚ trapped her/him in a car or room; bound her/him; took her/him places against their will; etc.)
28. PHYSICALLY ENDANGERING HER/HIS LIFE (e.g.‚ strangled her/him‚ trying to run her/him off the road‚ displaying a weapon‚ in front of her/him‚ using a weapon to subdue her/him‚ etc.)