An examination of relationship disengagement: Perceptions, breakup strategies and outcomes

Questionnaires were obtained from 310 participants who reported on past intimate relationships. Items assessed how the relationship and partner were perceived and how the relationship breakup was accomplished. Also assessed were selected outcomes: felt anger, depression, freedom and the extent to which the partners remained friends after the disengagement. The results replicated earlier findings by Baxter (1982) and Cody (1982) and extended the range of variables pertinent to strategy selection by evaluating the role of network overlap, partner desirability, trust and dyadic adjustment. Both relational variables and tactics were associated with consequences of the disengagement. Partners were more likely, for instance, to stay friends if the disengager used de‐escalation tactics, the partner was desirable, and the disengager did not use justification or avoidance tactics. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are discussed.