The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults
The breakup of an intimate relationship is a highly distressing event among emerging adults (Cutler, Glaeser, Norberg, 2001) and can often be accompanied by difficulty adjusting to the loss and “letting go” (Mearns, 1991). Research on stalking and cyberstalking behaviours address criminal activities...
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University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress)
2014
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2415 https://utpjournals.press/doi/pdf/10.3138/cjhs.2415 |
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crunivtoronpr:10.3138/cjhs.2415 2024-09-15T18:37:38+00:00 The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults Lee, Brenda H. O'Sullivan, Lucia F. 2014 http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2415 https://utpjournals.press/doi/pdf/10.3138/cjhs.2415 en eng University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress) The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality volume 23, issue 2, page 96-105 ISSN 1188-4517 2291-7063 journal-article 2014 crunivtoronpr https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2415 2024-07-18T04:21:33Z The breakup of an intimate relationship is a highly distressing event among emerging adults (Cutler, Glaeser, Norberg, 2001) and can often be accompanied by difficulty adjusting to the loss and “letting go” (Mearns, 1991). Research on stalking and cyberstalking behaviours address criminal activities that incite fear in a target (e.g., Spitzberg & Cupach, 2007). Little is known about more general post-relationship contact and tracking (PRCT), that is, efforts to maintain or re-establish contact with an ex-partner or to track their whereabouts, new partnerships or activities. To understand both the use and experience of PRCT, we examined reports from 271 Canadian emerging adults (aged 18–25) regarding their most recent breakup within the prior year. Results indicated that online and offline forms of post-relationship contact and tracking were common, characterizing 87.8% of all recent breakups, and were typically used in conjunction. In fact, online forms rarely occurred in isolation. Attempts to keep in contact were most commonly reported by users and targets of behaviours, whereas extreme and threatening behaviours that might comprise stalking or cyberstalking were rare. No gender differences were found in the use of PRCT behaviours, although women reported experiencing more offline forms. Article in Journal/Newspaper Spitzberg University of Toronto Press (U Toronto Press) The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality 23 2 96 105 |
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Open Polar |
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University of Toronto Press (U Toronto Press) |
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crunivtoronpr |
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English |
description |
The breakup of an intimate relationship is a highly distressing event among emerging adults (Cutler, Glaeser, Norberg, 2001) and can often be accompanied by difficulty adjusting to the loss and “letting go” (Mearns, 1991). Research on stalking and cyberstalking behaviours address criminal activities that incite fear in a target (e.g., Spitzberg & Cupach, 2007). Little is known about more general post-relationship contact and tracking (PRCT), that is, efforts to maintain or re-establish contact with an ex-partner or to track their whereabouts, new partnerships or activities. To understand both the use and experience of PRCT, we examined reports from 271 Canadian emerging adults (aged 18–25) regarding their most recent breakup within the prior year. Results indicated that online and offline forms of post-relationship contact and tracking were common, characterizing 87.8% of all recent breakups, and were typically used in conjunction. In fact, online forms rarely occurred in isolation. Attempts to keep in contact were most commonly reported by users and targets of behaviours, whereas extreme and threatening behaviours that might comprise stalking or cyberstalking were rare. No gender differences were found in the use of PRCT behaviours, although women reported experiencing more offline forms. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lee, Brenda H. O'Sullivan, Lucia F. |
spellingShingle |
Lee, Brenda H. O'Sullivan, Lucia F. The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults |
author_facet |
Lee, Brenda H. O'Sullivan, Lucia F. |
author_sort |
Lee, Brenda H. |
title |
The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults |
title_short |
The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults |
title_full |
The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults |
title_fullStr |
The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults |
title_full_unstemmed |
The ex-factor: Characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among Canadian emerging adults |
title_sort |
ex-factor: characteristics of online and offline post-relationship contact and tracking among canadian emerging adults |
publisher |
University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress) |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2415 https://utpjournals.press/doi/pdf/10.3138/cjhs.2415 |
genre |
Spitzberg |
genre_facet |
Spitzberg |
op_source |
The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality volume 23, issue 2, page 96-105 ISSN 1188-4517 2291-7063 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2415 |
container_title |
The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality |
container_volume |
23 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
96 |
op_container_end_page |
105 |
_version_ |
1810481990602850304 |