Cyberstalking scale: development and relations with gender, FOMO and social media engagement.

Cyberstalking is a form of persecution that has proliferated with technology's evolution. The present research aimed to develop a cyberstalking measure and observe its relations with Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), social media engagement, and sociodemographic variables. To achieve these goals, two studies were performed. In the first study, 200 subjects (76.5% female, with a mean age of 21.6 years) answered the 15 items originally developed for the scale. These data went trough exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha to verify the reliability of the instrument. The results indicated the exclusion of five items, and after this removal, the scale was valid and reliable (α = 0.86). In the second study, which also had 200 subjects (65% female and an average age of 21.8 years), was realized confirmatory factor analysis (measuring the model fit), accompanied by correlations and mediation analysis. The analyzes demonstrated that the one-factor model was adequate (GFI = 0.98; CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.02; SRMR = 0.06). Path analysis showed social media engagement as a significant mediator of FOMO and gender's impact on cyberstalking: Both had direct (FOMO: λ = 0.31; CI = 0.19-0.42; p < 0.01; Gender: λ = 0.12; CI = 0.02-0.22; p < 0.05) and indirect effects (FOMO: λ = 0.07; CI = 0.03-0.11; p < 0.01; Gender: λ = 0.04; CI = 0.01-0.07; p < 0.01).

Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Dependencia Específica del Cónyuge para Mujeres (EDEC-M) / Propriedades Psicométricas da Escala de Dependência Específica do Cônjuge para mulheres (EDEC-M) / Psychometric Properties of the Spouse Specific Dependency Scale for Women (SSDS-W)

Resumen El objetivo de esta investigación fue adaptar y validar la Escala de Dependencia Específica del Cónyuge para Mujeres (EDEC-M) para su uso en el contexto brasileño, que consta de 30 ítems. En el estudio 1, participaron 347 mujeres. Se obtuvo una estructura de tres dimensiones: apego ansioso (α = .88), dependencia emocional (α = .80) y dependencia exclusiva (α = .72), con consistencia interna satisfactoria. En el segundo estudio, participaron 325 mujeres, se probaron tres modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. Los resultados indicaron que el EDEC-M presentó mejores índices de ajuste en el modelo jerárquico de segundo orden: χ2 /df = 1.89; CFI = .95; TLI = .95; GFI = .95; RMSEA .05 y SRMR = 0.07. Este modelo fue apoyado por el Teoria de Respuesta al Item (TRI), que analizó una variación satisfactoria de la dificultad del ítem y permitió la construcción de un Mapa de ítems para la medición. Por lo tanto, el EDEC-M presentó propiedades psicométricas de validez de constructo para el contexto brasileño en mujeres.

Resumo O objetivo desta pesquisa foi adaptar e validar Escala de Dependência Específica do Cônjuge para Mulheres (EDEC-M) para utilização no contexto brasileiro, composto por 30 itens. No Estudo 1, contou-se com 347 mulheres. Obteve-se uma estrutura tri-dimensional: apego ansioso (α = 0,88), dependência emocional (α = 0,80) e dependência exclusiva (α = 0,72), com consistências internas satisfatórias. No segundo estudo, participaram 325 mulheres, foram testados três modelos de equações estruturais. Os resultados indicaram que a EDEC-M apresentou melhores índices de ajuste no modelo hierárquico de segunda ordem: χ2 /df = 1,89; CFI = 0,95; TLI = 0,95; GFI = 0,95; RMSEA 0,05 e SRMR = 0,07. Esse modelo foi suportado pela Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI), que analisou uma variação satisfatória de dificuldade dos itens e possibilitou a construção de um Mapa de Itens para a medida. Logo, a EDEC-M apresentou propriedades psicométricas de validade de construto para o contexto brasileiro em mulheres.

Abstract The aim of this research was to adapt and validate the Spouse Specific Dependency Scale for Women (SSDS-W) for use in the Brazilian context, which consists of 30 items. In study 1, 347 women participated. It was obtained a three- dimensional structure: anxiety attachment (α = .88), emotional dependence (α = .80) and exclusive dependence (α = .72), with satisfactory internal consistencies. In the second study, 325 women participated, and three structural equation models were tested. The results indicated that the EDEC-M presented better index adjustment in the second-order hierarchical model: χ2 /df = 1.89; CFI = .95; TLI = .95; GFI = .95; RMSEA .05 and SRMR = .07. This model was supported by Item Response Theory (IRT), which analyzed a satisfactory variation of the item difficulty and allowed the construction of an Item Map for the measure. Therefore, the EDEC-M presented satisfactory psychometric properties evidence of construct validity for the Brazilian context in women.