The Stalking of Psychiatrists

Abstract

Healthcare professionals are known from previous studies to be at risk from stalkers, and mental healthcare professionals, particularly psychiatrists, are thought to be at higher risk. However, no previous large-scale study has investigated this among psychiatrists. This questionnaire-based survey of 10,429 UK psychiatrists aimed to investigate the prevalence, nature and impact of stalking of UK psychiatrists. Of the 2,585 psychiatrists who submitted valid responses, 21% thought they had been stalked; the experiences of 33% met current legal criteria and 10% met strict research criteria. Three percent of respondents were currently being stalked; 2% reported that their stalking had begun in the past year. Of those who had been stalked, 64% were stalked by patients. The most commonly reported motives were intimacy seeking and resentment. Stalking persisted for over a year for 52% of victims. The stalking was intrusive, disruptive, and had significant impact. Organizational and individual responses varied in scope and effectiveness. Stalking of psychiatrists is therefore an important professional hazard with a serious impact. Improvements in organizational responses to stalking are needed.

Health Care Professionals as Victims of Stalking: Characteristics of the Stalking Campaign, Consequences, and Motivation in Italy

“…The percentage of victimization differed in our sample compared with the categories reported in previous studies: Galeazzi et al (2005) found that the most common type of stalking is by Intimacy Seekers, followed by Resentful stalkers. Whyte et al (2011) found similar results, while research conducted by Purcell et al (2005) showed that stalking by Resentful stalkers was the most common type. Our data revealed that most of the victims indicated rejection (Rejected) as the motivation behind the beginning of a stalking campaign, followed by social incompetence (Incompetent suitors), resentment (Resentful), and some sort of intimacy (Intimacy seekers).…”

“…For example, in a U.K. study among psychiatrists, it emerged that 21% of the sample had been victims of stalking, one third of them by non-patients (Whyte, Penny, Christopherson, Reiss, & Petch, 2011). But HCPs are also prone to victimization in their private life.…”

“…They had started stalking after being rejected in a personal relationship (by a partner, friend, relative) or a work relationship (e.g., dismissal). In a study conducted by Whyte et al (2011) involving English psychiatrists, it emerged that one third of the victims perceived the attempt to establish a relationship (Intimacy Seekers) as the motivation behind the stalking campaign, while one fifth of them thought it was for revenge (Resentful). More than 15% were Incompetent suitors who stalked victims who attracted their romantic interest.…”

North American psychologists’ experiences of stalking, threatening, and harassing behavior: A survey of ABPP diplomates.

“…This appears to hold equally for male and female mental health providers (McIvor et al, 2008;Romans et al, 1996;Whyte et al, 2011), which is notable given that women appear to be the victim of stalking at rates three times higher than men in the general population (Purcell et al, 2004). The available research suggests that between approximately 3% (Sandberg et al, 2002) and 20% (McIvor et al, 2008;Purcell et al, 2005) of mental health professionals will be stalked at some point in their career, with multiple studies placing lifetime prevalence for stalking victimization around 10% (Galeazzi et al, 2005;Gentile et al, 2002;Leavitt et al, 2006;Maclean et al, 2013;Whyte et al, 2011). Given the general consistency in prevalence estimates across studies, the differences that do emerge generally appear to reflect the impact of different definitions of stalking and differences in base rates of STHB in different clinical settings.…”

“…There is a growing body of international research examining clinicians' experiences of STHB by patients in the United States (Gentile, Asamen, Harmell, & Weathers, 2002;Leavitt, Presskreischer, Maykuth, & Grisso, 2006;Romans, Hays, & White, 1996;Sandberg, McNiel, & Binder, 2002;Tryon, 1986), Australia (Purcell, Powell, & Mullen, 2005), New Zealand (Hughes, Thom, & Dixon, 2007), the United Kingdom (Hudson-Allez, 2002;Jones & Sheridan, 2009;Maclean et al, 2013;McIvor, Potter, & Davies, 2008;Whyte, Penny, Christopherson, Reiss, & Petch, 2011), Ireland (Nwachukwu, Agyapong, Quinlivan, Tobin, & Malone, 2012), Canada (Abrams & Robinson, 2011), and Italy (Galeazzi, Elkins, & Curci, 2005;Mastronardi, Pomilla, Ricci, & D'Argenio, 2013). Although stalking statutes vary across jurisdictions, most definitions share an emphasis on repeated, intentional behavior consisting of nonconsensual communication and threats toward a specific individual that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety (Mullen, Pathé, Purcell, & Stuart, 1999).…”