Correlates of Distress Following Heterosexual Relationship Dissolution

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of initial distress and current recovery among individuals who have experienced the breakup of a dating relationship, including factors associated with commitment to the relationship (i.e. satisfaction, duration, closeness, perceived alternatives) and factors associated with coping with life stressors (i.e. perceptions of the controllability of the breakup, social support and self-esteem). Participants were 34 males and 51 females who had experienced the breakup of a dating relationship within the past 6 months. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that these variables accounted for between 21 and 47 percent of the variance in the measures of initial distress and current recovery. The coping-related variables added significantly to the prediction of initial distress and current recovery once the commitment-related variables were taken into account, but were more strongly related to recovery than to initial distress. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Emotional and Cognitive Coping in Relationship Dissolution

“…Time since breakup was associated with distress and adjustment in several studies (Field et al, 2009;Frazier & Cook, 1993;Locker et al, 2010). Even in this study, distress decreased between T1 and T2 regardless of group assignment.…”

“…In a longitudinal study, Fine and Sacher (1997) found that couples who at Time I had higher commitment level and lower perceptions of alternative relationships were more likely to experience significant distress after their breakup. Frazier and Cook (1993) further broke down the components of commitment, examining satisfaction, duration, closeness, and perceived alternatives as facets of commitment. More satisfaction, longer duration, perceived closeness, and less perceived alternatives pre-dissolution once again predicted distress.…”

Affective Processing Following Romantic Relationship Dissolution

“…In terms of gender, it is not clear whether men or women fare differently with respect to their psychological adjustment after a non-marital relationship ends (for a consideration of marriage, see Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton, 2001). Although most studies report no gender differences in distress after a break-up (Frazier & Cook, 1993;Helgeson, 1994;Simpson, 1987;Sprecher, 1994), findings from the Boston Dating Couples Study indicated that at the 1-year follow-up of 15 couples who ended their relationship, men reported feeling more depressed, lonely, less happy, and less free after the break-up than their female partners. Mearns (1991) surveyed a more representative sample of 583 undergraduates who experienced a break-up after an average of 10-months dating and found that women reported significantly more depression following the end of the relationship (see also Monroe et al, 1999).…”

“…In their prospective epidemiological investigation of the onset and recurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescence, Monroe et al (1999) found that the recent break-up of a romantic relationship was a specific and unique risk factor in the onset of MDD. For young adults, the severing of romantic bonds also is associated with depression, as well as anxiety, prolonged longing for an ex-partner, and interferences with daily routines (Feeney & Noller, 1992;Fine & Sacher, 1997;Frazier & Cook, 1993;Hill, Rubin, & Peplau, 1976;Sprecher, 1994;Simpson, 1987).…”

“…Perceived controllability of the break-up is also known to influence adjustment. For instance, among 90 college students experiencing the break-up of a dating relationship within the past 6 months, Frazier and Cook (1993) reported that individuals who perceived the break-up as less controllable also reported significantly more distress and that it took them more time to recover compared to individuals who felt in control of their coping responses. In terms of gender, it is not clear whether men or women fare differently with respect to their psychological adjustment after a non-marital relationship ends (for a consideration of marriage, see Kiecolt-Glaser & Newton, 2001).…”