A Relational Tug-Of-War: Bidirectional Post-Relationship Pursuit in Intimate Relationships Comparing Cisgender Heterosexual and Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals

Post-relationship pursuit (PRP), a spectrum of unwanted, often distressing behaviors following a breakup, can involve both victimization and perpetration within the same relational context. While prior research has often focused on one side of this dynamic, little is known about how these behaviors co-occur within sexual and gender minority (SGM) relationships, or how such patterns differ from those observed among cisgender heterosexual (CH) individuals. This study examined the association between PRP victimization and perpetration in a sample of 687 young adults (ages 18–24), with attention to differences between cisgender heterosexual (CH) and sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals. Participants completed the Stalking and Obsessive Relational Intrusions Questionnaire (SORI-Q), reflecting on their own and their ex-partner’s behaviors post-breakup. While mean levels of PRP did not differ between groups, the association between victimization and perpetration was stronger among SGM individuals. Findings highlight the importance of examining relational dynamics and minority stress in understanding the complexity of PRP experiences.