The attachment styles of stalkers

This study measured stalkers' retrospective childhood attachment and current adult attachment using two self-report measures. The three groups were: 21 stalkers detained under the Mental Health Act (1983) under conditions of security; 24 people detained in the same way but with no history of stalking; and an ad-hoc community sample of 33. It was found that the stalkers had significantly more overprotective fathers and Insecure adult attachment styles than the control groups. A new typology of stalkers was proposed based on splitting the stalking group into fixated (one victim) and serial (more than one victim) groups. Fixated stalkers were more Preoccupied than serial stalkers.