Validation of the Persian ORI-VSF: Assessing Obsessive Relational Intrusion-Victim Short Form in an Iranian Population

Abstract

Background: Obsessive relational intrusion (ORI) refers to unwanted and repeated behaviors aimed at initiating or rekindling a relationship with someone who does not reciprocate the same level of interest. The Obsessive Relational Intrusion-Victim Short Form (ORI-VSF) is designed to assess such intrusive experiences from the victim’s perspective. Objectives: The present study aimed to validate the Persian version of the ORI-VSF in an Iranian sample by examining its psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and August 2024 in Zanjan, Iran. A total of 773 Iranian adults (68% female; mean age = 26.45 ± 8.06) were recruited through online posters via local social networks using convenience sampling. Participants completed the ORI-VSF, Relational Rumination Questionnaire (RelRQ), Obsessive Relational Intrusion and Celebrity Stalking Scale (ORI&CS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the original two-factor structure of the ORI-VSF after the removal of items 1, 2, and 3 due to low factor loadings, yielding a final 20-item version with excellent fit indices [χ2 = 417.04, df = 142, P < 0.001; Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.950, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.960, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.946, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.050]. The Persian ORI-VSF demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.919 for the total scale; 0.845 for the pursuit subscale; 0.894 for the aggression subscale). Convergent and discriminant validity were supported through significant correlations with relational rumination (R = 0.275), psychological distress (R = 0.234), and life satisfaction (R = -0.149). Measurement invariance analyses confirmed configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender (ΔCFI ≤ 0.006, ΔRMSEA ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: The Persian version of the ORI-VSF is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing ORI victimization among Iranian adults. Its robust reliability, validity, and gender-based measurement equivalence make it suitable for use in both clinical and research contexts in Persian-speaking populations.