Trauma symptoms following romantic breakups
Trauma symptoms following romantic breakups

Summary/Abstract: The stress following romantic breakups has typically been assessed by the Breakup Distress Scale which taps feelings and cognitions about the breakup. More serious effects like physical symptoms and sleep disturbances following breakups were uniquely tapped in the current study by the Trauma Symptoms Checklist. The aim of the study was to determine the amount of the variance in trauma symptoms that was explained by breakup distress, missing the relationship, intrusive thoughts and fears of abandonment. Participants were recruited via a study flyer posted on Facebook that listed inclusion criteria for the study, some sample items and a link to Survey Monkey where the survey was completed. Data analyses revealed not only a positive correlation between scores on the Trauma Symptoms Checklist and Breakup Distress Scale but also positive correlations between the Trauma Symptoms Checklist scores and scores on the Missing the Relationship, the Impact of Events (Intrusive thoughts), and the Experience in Close Relationships (fears of abandonment) scales. And Trauma Symptoms scores were negatively related to scores on the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Trauma Symptoms scores were also positively related to ratings suggesting excessive use of social media and on rejection factors including the other person initiating the breakup, its being a sudden breakup, and feelings of rejection and betrayal. Surprisingly, although Trauma Symptoms scores were related to negative relationship behaviors that led to the breakup including verbal and emotional abuse, they were also related to a committed relationship and the hope to renew it. A regression analysis revealed that scores on the Breakup Distress Scale explained 53% of the variance in the scores on the Trauma Symptoms Checklist, suggesting that stressful feelings and cognitions were significantly contributing to physical symptoms. Intrusive thoughts and fears of abandonment added 9% of the variance for a total of 62% of the variance in trauma symptoms. These data highlight the need for intervention research to decrease trauma symptoms and related stressors associated with romantic breakups.

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