From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article only describes one highly specialized aspect of its associated subject. Please help improve this article by adding more general information.

A relationship breakup (or otherwise simply known as a breakup) refers to the ending of a relationship, typically a romantic one. A breakup can vary between emotionally traumatic to consensual for those involved, especially if romantic love is involved.

Breakups can occur for numerous reasons, including conflicts in personality, lifestyle changes, breaches in spoken or unspoken codes of conduct, or attraction to a different person. A breakup that is decided upon by one person is commonly referred to as "dumping." However, due to the negative connotations of 'dumping', many who have consensually ended a relationship choose not to describe it thus. Relationships that are ended through "dumping" usually also end the friendship; relationships ended mutually more often become friendships.

In psychology, there are several models that attempt to explain and account for the trajectory of the breakup of a relationship.

First is the four-phase model as proposed by Duck in 1982. According to Duck, there are four phases involved in the dissolution of a personal relationship (1982, as cited in Battaglia 1998): intrapsychic, dyadic, social and grave-dressing.

The intrapsychic phase refers to the individual's private appraisal or evaluation of, or deliberation about, the relationship in terms of its quality and alternatives. The dyadic phase begins when these thoughts become public. In the dyadic phase, partners shift back and forth from resolution to dissolution: a process of figuring out whether their problems can be solved by maintaining the relationship. Dyadic phase is normally followed by the social phase when couples acknowledge the social repercussions for separating. The final phase, grave dressing, involves a more optimistic, and what seems to be a more objective, evaluation and remembrance.

In a study aimed at investigating the relationship between background relationship transitions and mental health in young adulthood, researchers compiled data from 1,581 Dutch young adults aged 18-34, who participated in three waves (1996, 1997, and 1999) of a nationwide epidemiological survey. It was found that mood disorders and the experience of relationship difficulties are related to one another. This means that

1. earlier prevalence of mood disorders increased young adults' likelihood of subsequently experiencing a break-up/divorce and
2. reduced the likelihood of becoming a parent,

but at the same time mood disorders could be predicted by previously experienced relationship difficulties. On the other hand having a relatively unattached relationship status such as stably cohabiting or being married while not being a parent is related to the onset of substance disorders. Furthermore, depending on earlier partner relationship, mood disorders negatively affect individuals' chances of staying with one's partner (Overbeek, Vollebergh, Engels, & Meeus, 2003)

• Love shyness
• Human bonding
• Broken heart

• Battaglia, D. M., Richard, F. D., Datteri, D. L. & Lord, C. G. (1998). Breaking up is (relatively) easy to do: a script for the dissolution of close relationships. "Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 15", 829-845.
• Overbeek, G., Vollebergh, W., Engels, R. C. M. E., & Meeus, W. (2003). Young adults' relationship transitions and the incidence of mental disorders - A three-wave longitudinal study. "Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 38"(12), 669-676.

• The Secret How To Get Over A Break Up
• Surviving A Break-Up
• After A Breakup - When To Start Dating Again
• Helping a Friend Through a Breakup
• Top 10 Tips for Dealing With a Break Up