Psych Vivas · Forensic psychiatry — stalking and harassment
Stalking and harassment — structured clinical viva
Fellowship viva on intimacy-seeking/erotomanic stalking, multi-domain risk, and communication of residual uncertainty.
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Target exams
Interpretation
Reveal interpretation
Refuse binary "dangerous/not". Translate into multi-domain residual risks under stated conditions, with mitigations and uncertainty.[7][4]
Constructs. This is stalking as behaviour plus an erotomanic delusional driver. Mullen intimacy-seeking type; RECON private stranger / professional acquaintance context; historical Zona erotomanic frame. Absence of assault does not mean absence of serious harm — victim/clinic psychosocial damage and persistence are central.[1][2][6]
Risk pattern. Psychotic intimacy-seeking campaigns may show relatively lower average assault rates than rejected ex-intimates in some series, yet high persistence and recurrence if untreated, with approach behaviours (waiting outside) as dynamic concern. Assess weapons, escalation, response to limit-setting, substances, and adherence.[3][5][4]
Assessment. Multi-source chronology; structured stalking-informed tool concepts (SRP domains); MSE for delusional system and insight; map clinic access.[8][4]
Management. Do not "just ignore". Clinic security plan, no personal engagement that reinforces delusion, transfer of clinical care if needed, legal options as local process. Treat psychosis (adherence support; consider LAI/hospital if risk/access high under local criteria). Communicate scenarios: further approaches if non-adherent + continued clinic access; reduced contact if treated + access blocked + legal constraints.[1][4][7]
Key points
[6] [3] [7]References
- [1]Mullen PE, Pathé M, Purcell R, et al. Study of stalkers Am J Psychiatry, 1999.PMID 10450267
- [2]Zona MA, Sharma KK, Lane J A comparative study of erotomanic and obsessional subjects in a forensic sample J Forensic Sci, 1993.PMID 8355005
- [3]McEwan TE, Mullen PE, MacKenzie R A study of the predictors of persistence in stalking situations Law Hum Behav, 2009.PMID 18626757
- [4]Mullen PE, Mackenzie R, Ogloff JR, et al. Assessing and managing the risks in the stalking situation J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, 2006.PMID 17185471
- [5]Kienlen KK, Birmingham DL, Solberg KB, et al. A comparative study of psychotic and nonpsychotic stalking J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, 1997.PMID 9323658
- [6]Pathé M, Mullen PE The impact of stalkers on their victims Br J Psychiatry, 1997.PMID 9068768
- [7]Large MM, Ryan CJ, Nielssen OB Helpful and unhelpful risk assessment practices Psychiatr Serv, 2010.PMID 20439381
- [8]McEwan TE, Shea DE, Daffern M, et al. The Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Stalking Risk Profile Assessment, 2018.PMID 27305931