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Strategies for Coping With the End of a Desirable Intimate Relationship: An Exploratory Study
Menelaos Apostolou1, Maria Hadjiantoni1, Timo Juhani Lajunen2
1Department of Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Summary
Coping with a breakup involves various strategies. People often shift focus, seek support, or withdraw socially. Less common are disassociation and using sex or substances to manage relationship endings.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Ending intimate relationships is a common yet distressing life event.
- Emotional pain from relationship termination necessitates effective coping mechanisms.
- Understanding diverse coping strategies is crucial for psychological well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and categorize the various strategies individuals use to cope with the end of a desirable intimate relationship.
- To identify the most and least frequently employed coping strategies.
- To explore demographic influences, such as sex and age, on strategy selection.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach was employed to gather comprehensive data.
- Identified 84 distinct coping acts, which were then classified into 16 specific strategies.
- These 16 strategies were further grouped into five main coping strategies.
Main Results:
- The most common main strategy was "Transfer focus to different things" (e.g., focusing on self, staying busy).
- Other frequently used strategies included "Seek support" (from social networks and professionals) and "Social withdrawal" (isolation).
- The least used strategy was "Sex and substances," involving casual sex or substance use. "Disassociation and positive reframing" was also noted, with demographic differences observed.
Conclusions:
- Individuals utilize a range of strategies to cope with relationship dissolution, varying in frequency and type.
- Shifting focus, seeking social support, and social withdrawal are prevalent coping mechanisms.
- Demographic factors like sex and age significantly influence the choice of coping strategies, highlighting the need for personalized approaches.
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