Unwanted Pursuit Behavior Inventory [UPBI-26]

Description

The Unwanted Pursuit Behavior Inventory (UPBI-26) is a psychometric instrument designed to assess unwanted pursuit behaviors, including actions that may cause an individual to experience harassment or stalking. The inventory consists of 26 items and focuses on measuring the frequency and intensity of unwanted behaviors experienced by individuals, such as persistent following or intrusive communication.

The scale examines several forms of unwanted pursuit, including communication without consent, such as repeated phone calls or messages, following or observing a person from a distance, and harassment in public or private settings.

Unwanted Pursuit Behavior Inventory [UPBI-26]

Description

The Unwanted Pursuit Behavior Inventory (UPBI-26) is a psychometric instrument designed to assess unwanted pursuit behaviors, including actions that may cause an individual to experience harassment or stalking. The inventory consists of 26 items and focuses on measuring the frequency and intensity of unwanted behaviors experienced by individuals, such as persistent following or intrusive communication.

The scale examines several forms of unwanted pursuit, including communication without consent, such as repeated phone calls or messages, following or observing a person from a distance, and harassment in public or private settings.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the UPBI-26 is to provide a structured assessment of the nature, frequency, and psychological impact of unwanted pursuit behaviors. More specifically, the instrument can be used to identify and document instances of unwanted pursuit, explore their effects on individuals, and support the development of interventions aimed at protecting victims and promoting psychological well-being.

Data Analysis and Use

Data collected through the UPBI-26 can be analyzed to identify patterns of unwanted pursuit and examine their association with psychological outcomes.

Statistical analysis may include reliability analysis, typically using Cronbach’s alpha to assess internal consistency, as well as factor analysis to investigate the underlying dimensions of unwanted pursuit behavior. Associations may also be examined between UPBI-26 scores and psychological variables such as anxiety, depression, and mental resilience.

Psychometric Evaluation

The psychometric evaluation of the UPBI-26 may include several complementary procedures. Reliability analysis can be used to assess the consistency of responses across items, while confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) can evaluate the proposed dimensional structure of the instrument.

In addition, cross-validation may be applied to examine whether the scale demonstrates satisfactory reliability and generalizability across different samples or populations.

Applications

The UPBI-26 can be used in research focusing on stalking, interpersonal harassment, unwanted communication, and intrusive pursuit behaviors. It may also contribute to studies examining the psychological consequences of such experiences and to the design of prevention, assessment, and psychosocial support programs.

Its structured format makes it useful for investigating patterns of unwanted pursuit behavior and their potential associations with broader indicators of psychological well-being.

References

Farr, K. K., & Sweeney, K. J. (2017). The Unwanted Pursuit Behavior Inventory: Development and validation of a measure of unwanted pursuit behavior. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(6), 829–848.

Miller, D. J., & Hagan, J. (2001). The effect of unwanted pursuit behavior on the mental health of victims. Victims and Offenders, 6(4), 461–474.

Wheeler, S. A., & Smith, D. R. (2020). Understanding the impact of stalking and unwanted pursuit behavior: A review of the literature. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 50, 101321.