Negotiating Breakups and Renewals in On-Again/Off-Again Dating Relationships: Traversing the Transitions

Abstract

Using phase-oriented interviews (N = 65), this study explored how partners in on-again/off-again relationships negotiated the turning points of breakups and renewals in their relationships. The qualitative analysis revealed themes reflecting transition initiation (i.e., the communication or behavior instigating the transitions) as well as themes reflecting how partners enacted and managed the transitions (e.g., viewing transitions as provisional, resolving past problems and planning for new issues, and using external factors to maintain the transition). Navigating the relational transitions created a struggle for some partners, but the negotiation process elicited feelings of a fresh start for others. Collectively, the themes highlight factors related to communication as well as partners' subjective interpretations, which may be useful in further understanding how partners negotiate relational transitions.

Keywords:

• Breakups
• Dating Relationships
• On-Again/off-Again Relationships
• Relational Transitions
• Renewals
• Turning Points

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a special research grant provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Texas at Austin. We thank James Roberts for his help in interviewing participants and Ashley Middleton for her help in interviewing participants, as well as transcribing the interviews.