The Parental Stalking Experiences of Children: A Systematic Review

This Systematic Review aims to explore and identify the existing research on children and adolescents experiences and of their parents engaging in stalking behaviours, and the impacts that this has on them. The populations used to collate and develop an understanding of these impacts in this review will be using the experiences of the children themselves (anyone aged under the age of 18 at the time of experiencing parental stalking behaviours), those of the the parent who were not the perpetrators of the stalking behaviours and/ or were victimised by ex-partner stalking behaviours) and professionals who supported the children with regard to the parental stalking behaviour. The negative outcomes associated with post-separation abuse such as stalking have been suggested to be lasting and damaging. Literature regarding adolescent stalking perpetration has highlighted a normalisation of the behaviours which is unique to this age group in the modern age. This is suggested to be related to social learning bottom-up influences such as the behaviours and attitudes of peers and parents (as well as top-down influences such as cultural values and norms). While research in adolescent stalking has identified the presence of social learning in adolescents, no synthesis has yet systematically explored the content of this experiential learning, or understood the qualitative experiences of children who endure and survive them. While there are a number of sources of this learning within the various ecological systems of children, the parental relationship presents as a clear, reliable and accessible source of such learning, and one which is likely to present first chronologically, and one that has already been implicated in the development of stalking behaviours, through attachment theory. Qualitative findings will be analysed using the Thematic Synthesis procedure by Thomas and Harden (2008). It is hoped the findings will illuminate the themes in the experiences of these children, the impact that these experiences have on them, and what meaning/ interpretations they make of such experience. It is also hoped that directions for future research will be established, and perhaps provide information which will be useful for the work of professionals who support these children, and the development of clinical and educative tools. The results of will be disseminated through a thesis project in partial completion of a doctorate in clinical psychology, and will be publication in a peer reviewed BPS journal will also be sought.