| چکیده انگلیسی مقاله |
Introduction
The widespread availability and accessibility of mobile phones, computers, and the Internet have equipped individuals with enhanced tools to surveil, harass, bully, and control their partners (Bailey et al., 2023). Research indicates that intimate partners are more frequent targets of cyberstalking compared to strangers (Dhillon et al., 2016). International studies reveal that between 42% and 49.9% of adults regularly check their partners' online presence on social media or messaging platforms (Baker & Helm, 2011), while 32.6% to 45% monitor whom their partners communicate with or befriend (Reed et al., 2017). Despite the prevalence of cyberstalking in romantic relationships and its significant psychosocial costs for individuals and family systems, research on this topic remains limited in comparison to other online aggressive behaviors, such as cyberbullying or online harassment. Through a meta-analytic approach, Kar et al. (2021) underscored the urgent need for the design and validation of instruments specifically targeting intimate partner cyberstalking. Although some studies have addressed this issue (Marcum et al., 2017; Zweig et al., 2013), there is still a scarcity of psychometrically robust tools to measure cyberstalking or digital abuse (Smoker & March, 2017; Soto & Ibabe, 2022). To fill this gap, the Intimate Partner Cyberstalking Scale (IPCS) was developed and validated by Smoker and March (2017) to assess specific cyberstalking behaviors within romantic relationships. However, with a few exceptions, the psychometric properties of the IPCS have not been thoroughly examined across diverse populations. Given the pervasive influence of digital spaces on individuals' lives worldwide and their impact on marital relationships—and, consequently, family dynamics—the cultural adaptation and validation of scales like the IPCS are crucial for counselors, psychologists, and clinicians. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties, validate the IPCyS (Smoker & March, 2017), and culturally adapt it for use in Iran.
Materials & Methods
This study was fundamentally descriptive in purpose, employing a survey method for data collection and a correlational approach for data analysis, including both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The statistical population consisted of married teachers in Zanjan Province, Iran. A convenience sampling method was utilized to select 404 married teachers (279 women and 125 men). Prior to participating, individuals were informed about the study's objectives and assured of the confidentiality of their responses as they completed the scales electronically. The sample was divided into two groups: 202 participants for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and 202 for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The instruments used in this study included the 21-item unidimensional IPCS developed by Smoker and March (2017) and the 18-item Trust in Close Relationships (TCR) scale by Rempel et al. (1985), which assessed 3 components of trust. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, utilizing SPSS 27 and AMOS 26 software.
Discussion of Results & Conclusion
The EFA results revealed that the scale items loaded onto 3 distinct factors, each with eigenvalues of greater than 1, explaining 60% of the total variance. After applying varimax rotation, Items 2 and 7 were excluded due to cross-loadings, low correlations with total scores, and weak factor loadings observed during the CFA. The remaining 19 items were categorized into 3 factors: Surveillance, Action, and Control. This finding contrasted with the original unidimensional structure reported by Smoker and March (2017). In a similar vein, Da Silva et al. (2021) confirmed the unidimensionality of IPCS using a Portuguese-translated version in Brazil. However, EFA in the study of Mark et al. (2022), which involved Australian English speakers, identified a 3-factor structure with Passive, Invasive, and Duplicitous factors in their abbreviated multidimensional IPCS. The differing factor labels in the present study arose from unique item clustering within the factor structure and a greater alignment with cultural context. These findings supported the hypothesis that the IPCS was a culture-bound instrument, exhibiting varying factorial structures across culturally diverse samples.
Internal consistency assessed by using Cronbach’s alpha was excellent (α = 0.93) for the full scale. Both convergent validity (measured by Average Variance Extracted (AVE)) and discriminant validity (indicated by the square root of AVE) were confirmed at the construct level. Additionally, multigroup factor analysis demonstrated gender invariance for the instrument. The magnitude and direction of Pearson’s correlation coefficients between intimate partner cyberstalking and marital trust further established criterion validity. Therefore, the Persian version of the 3-factor IPCS demonstrated robust reliability and validity for future research. Given the culturally embedded nature of cyberstalking behaviors, further studies are needed to explore their multidimensional aspects, particularly the underlying motivations. |