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The British Journal of Psychiatry (2005) 187: 168-172
© 2005 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Lifetime prevalence and impact of stalking in a European population

Epidemiological data from a middle-sized German city

HARALD DRESSING, MD

Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), University of Heidelberg, Germany

CHRISTINE KUEHNER, PhD and PETER GASS, MD

Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), University of Heidelberg, Germany

Correspondence: Dr Harald Dressing, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim (ZI), J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany. Tel: +49 6211703 732; fax: +49 6211703 760; e-mail: dressing{at}zi-mannheim.de

Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background There is a lack of community-based studies on prevalence rates of stalking and the impact of stalking on victims in European countries.

Aims To examine lifetime and point prevalence rates of stalking, behavioural and psychological consequences for victims, and the impact of stalking on current psychological well-being in a German community sample.

Method A postal survey was conducted with a sample randomly selected from the population of a middle-sized German city; 679 people (400 women, 279 men) responded. The survey included a stalking questionnaire and the WHO-5 well-being scale.

Results Almost 12% of the respondents (n = 78, 68 women, 10 men) reported having been stalked. A multiple regression analysis revealed a significant effect of victimisation on psychological well-being.

Conclusions This study identified a high lifetime prevalence of stalking in the community. Effects on victims' psychological health are significant, suggesting that the phenomenon deserves more attention in future community mental health research.


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