The Dark Side of Relationship Pursuit

Awards and Praise for the first edition:


Recipient of the 2006 International Association for Relationship Research (IARR) Book Award


"This text, as it presently stands, is THE go-to text for stalking researchers. That is my opinion and the opinion of multiple fellow scholars I know in the field. It rarely sits on my shelf, but rather is a constant reference on my desk. I can always count on these authors to have done an extensive review of literature. I thought I was thorough, but they are always providing me with new references."
--Dr. H. Colleen Sinclair, Associate Professor of Psychology, Mississippi State University


"Cupach and Spitzberg provide the reader with a multidisciplinary framework for understanding the nature and impact of unwanted relationship pursuits. This book is an excellent resource for students and professionals alike who seek to gain knowledge about unwanted relational pursuits and stalking."

-Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy



The Dark Side of Relationship Pursuit provides historical and definitional frames for studying unwanted relationship pursuit, and considers the role of the media, law, and social science research in shaping today's conceptualizations of stalking. The volume integrates research from diverse contributing fields and disciplines, providing a thorough summary and assessment of current knowledge on stalking and obsessive pursuit.


Building on the foundation of the award-winning first edition, this revision considers assessment issues, offers an expanded analysis of the meta-analysis data set, and includes coverage of intercultural and international factors. As an increasing number of scholarly disciplines and professional fields study stalking and other forms of obsessive relationship pursuit, this book is a must-have resource for examining interpersonal conflict, social and personal relationships, domestic violence, unrequited love, divorce and relational dissolution, and harassment. It also has much to offer researchers, counselors, and professionals in psychology, counseling, criminal justice, sociology, psychiatry, forensic evaluation, threat assessment, and law enforcement.

Chapter 1: The Evolution of Relationship Intimacy and Intrusion  Chapter 2: The Pursuit of Ordinary Relationships  Chapter 3: The Demography and Prevalence of Stalking  Chapter 4: The Topography of Stalking and Unwanted Pursuit  Chapter 5: Explaining Unwanted Pursuit  Chapter 6: The Effects of Stalking and Unwanted Pursuit  Chapter 7: Managing Unwanted Pursuit: Mapping Risk Management  Chapter 8: Assessing Unwanted Pursuit and Stalking