BREAKDOWN OF ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS

One of the reasons for relationship breakdown DUCK --> Lack of skills: poor interpersonal skills (i.e. bad communicators=unrewarding)--> Lack of stimulation: SET assumes that we seek rewards from relationships, one of these being 'stimulation'...When not absent & unchanged=relationship breakdown--> Evidence that lack of stimulation is cause of breakdown(BD)= often quoted when break up--> Maintenance Diff.: Amount of time spent w/each other...i.e. going away to Uni may put a strain on exisitng R.R (Shaver 85) & that's why relationships BD

BOEKHURT SUPPORT: extra-marrital affairs may be direct reaction to Lack of Skills/Stimulation--> Undergraduates rated sexual & emotional reasons for men&women to b unfaithful--> P's judged sexual reasons for infidelity (i.e. boring sex lol!)=men & emotional reasons (i.e. lack of attention)=women

H/W Shaver's findings in '85--> era dependent & historical validity=better transportation--> Further evidence that contradicts the Maintanence Difficulties= 70% of students had experienced at least one Long-Distance-Romantic-Relationship & 90% Long-Distance-Friendship --> SUPPORT: little decrease in relationship satisfaction as long as regular reunion

ROLLIE & DUCK produced a Model of Breakdown for the breakdown process; 6 stages:

1.Breakdown - at first a person is dissatisfied w/relationship ('I cant take it anymore!)

2.Intrapsychic processes - partners avoid confrontation but resent each other--> May express themselves in a diary & re-evaluate themselves

3. Dyadic processes - now they start to talk to each other about the difficulties

4.Social processes - seeking support from other people (i.e. from the 'girls'/'boys', family)

5.Grave-dressing - preparation of stories about what went wrong, in order to justify their actions & save face--> May be different for different audiences (i.e. different from what you tell your girls but tell your family)

6. Comparison line is developed and preparation begins for future relationships

SUPPORT for model TASHIRO: surveryed undergrads who recently broke up w/romantic partner --> P's reported emotional distress but also personal growth ...clearer idea of what they looked for in the future--> Supports grave-dressing and resurrection processes able to move on & get over it

Tashiro's Use of undergrads=population bias --> high I.Q., young --> students notorious for short-term relationships, normal for them--> Therefore, not generalisable to adult relationships --> More represent. sample needed --> Furthermore use of self-report method=DC's .. S.D: don't want to admit they've been dumped may switch it around lol!--> internal validity

 There are implications for intervention within R&D's model of breakdown as it stressed the importance of communication--> Talking about the relation. offers both an insight to what stage they're at & suggests appropriate interventions (i.e. In intrapyschic stage, repair may involve re-establishing the liking for the partner by re-evaluating situation)

R-WA: The import. of social skills led to devel. of training programmes to enhance relat. skills in distressed couples--> Couples Coping Enhancement Training teaches couples the import. of equity & respect & helps improve communication --> SUPPORT: compared 50 couples recevied CCET.. average 12yrs against control group --> CCET couples reported much higher marital quality

Ethical Issues: SSR b/c can be emotionally distressing (i.e. discussing abusive relat. risk of psychological harm) Right to Withdraw must be stressed and Confidentiality kept w/anonymity

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