Development and Validation of Breadcrumbing in Affective-Sexual Relationships (BREAD-ASR) Questionnaire: Introducing a New Online Dating Perpetration

Rodríguez-García, Ma Carmen; Márquez-Hernández, Verónica V.; Gámez, Genoveva Granados; Aguilera-Manrique, Gabriel; Gutiérrez-Puertas, Lorena

doi:10.3390/ijerph17249548

Cited by 4 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Several studies (LeFebvre et al, 2019; Navarro et al, 2020; Rodríguez-García et al, 2020) have noted an additional, ghosting-like phenomenon that often manifests in the dissolution of romantic relationships. “Breadcrumbing” is the act, preceding that of ghosting per se, of leading someone on through superficial acts of interest, only to hurt the other through empty promises and ultimately, abandonment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patients’ experiences of being “ghosted” by their psychotherapists.

Farber¹,

Hubbard²,

Ort³

2022

Psychotherapy

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Psychotherapist ghosting is a type of inappropriate, therapist-initiated termination of treatment in which the therapist ceases communication with their patient without prior notice. A total of 77 patients (M age = 34) who reported being ghosted by their therapist completed a web-based therapist ghosting survey (TGS) that assessed their perceptions of multiple aspects of this event. Results indicated that these patients, on average, unsuccessfully attempted to contact their therapist four times following being ghosted but that the great majority never again communicated with this therapist; they attributed being ghosted to several possibilities, including their therapist's finding them too difficult, their therapist's own problems, and/or a major event in their therapist's personal life. They experienced shock, frustration, anxiety, resentment, and sadness as a result of this action, emotions that tended to dissipate over time. Given its emotional toll on patients and the ethical violation inherent in the act of ghosting, further research on the prevalence, consequences, and therapists' motives for this behavior seems imperative. Clinical Impact StatementQuestion: What are clients' perceptions of the reasons for and consequences of their being "ghosted" by their therapist? Findings: Therapist ghosting is perceived by clients as distressing, shocking, hurtful, and unprofessional; many choose not to continue psychotherapy treatment following this experience. Meaning: Given the harmful consequences experienced by clients as a result of therapist ghosting, therapists need to be mindful of the ethical mandates regarding termination. Next Steps: Future investigation will focus on therapists' perspectives, motives, and other contributing factors, informing preventative (i.e., updated termination guidelines) measures.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patients’ experiences of being “ghosted” by their psychotherapists.

Farber¹,

Hubbard²,

Ort³

2022

Psychotherapy

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“…(BREAD-ASR; [ 16 ] is a 16-item measure that assesses breadcrumbing engagement behaviours. Item examples: “I avoid being in person with my partner”; “I contact my partner when I feel alone”; “Communication with my partner depends on my interest and availability”.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although there is still little empirical evidence regarding the breadcrumbing phenomenon, the available research has shown that experiencing breadcrumbing is associated with feelings of helplessness and self-doubt, lower self-esteem, experience of loneliness, and is also related with lower life satisfaction and difficulties in the development of future relationships [ 14 , 15 ]. Breadcrumbing has been also associated with problems on self-concept, self-confidence and emotional stability on those who engage in it [ 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Available evidence has shown that the increased use of online dating apps, engaging in short-term relationships, and practicing online surveillance is related with breadcrumbing [ 13 ]. Despite a general lack of data, some studies have highlighted the absence of significant gender differences in engaging in breadcrumbing [ 13 , 16 ]. However, qualitative research available on receivers’ experiences of breadcrumbing found more difficulties to obtain the data on men’s experiences in comparison to women’s experiences [ 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With regard to age, available studies have shown that breadcrumbing behaviours are common in adolescents’ and young adults’ populations [ 14 , 16 ], with emerging adults (18–25 years old) reporting slightly higher scores on breadcrumbing behaviours [ 13 ]. This could be in part because emerging adults are learning how to navigate the emotionally complex field of intimate relationships which includes the interpersonal communication skills and personal responsibilities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Attachment insecurity and breadcrumbing engagement in young adults: a cross-sectional, cross-country study in India and Spain

Khattar,

Huete,

Navarro

2023

BMC Psychol

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Background Breadcrumbing, defined as the act of sending out flirtatious, but non-committal text messages to lure a sexual/romantic partner without expending much effort, has gained attention in popular culture and the media due to its relevance to contemporary dating dynamics. However, there is lack of evidence of the association between attachment insecurity and breadcrumbing This study aims to uncover the potential relationship between breadcrumbing engagement and attachment insecurity among Indian and Spanish young adults. Methods Data were collected through an anonymous online survey answered by 334 adults in India and by 348 adults in Spain aged between 18 and 40 years old. A linear regression model in both countries was run to examine breadcrumbing engagement and its relationship with the set of sociodemographic variables included in the study (participants’ age and sex, sexual orientation, relationship status and educational level) and the two dimensions of attachment insecurity (anxious and avoidant). Results The results showed that insecure attachment, both anxious and avoidant, were associated with engaging in breadcrumbing in both the countries. However, there was a stronger association between anxious attachment and breadcrumbing in India compared to Spain, where the association was stronger between avoidant attachment and breadcrumbing. Conclusions Findings from this study offer insight into an under-studied practice in the context of interpersonal relationships (i.e., breadcrumbing behaviour) and show the importance of attachment theoretical framework to hypothesize and analyse expectations regarding strategies to negotiate intimate relationships and the breadcrumbing experience particularly.

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