Knowledge (XXG)

On-again, off-again relationship

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142:, researchers found that relationships with on-and-off patterns are twice as likely as couples who stably broke up or are together to report physical violence and half as likely to report verbal abuse. This may arise from the instability that comes with many on-and-off relationships, as there may be a tendency for quicker escalation and poor communication and relationship skills. 93:
Those who experienced on-and-off patterns also tended to show strong beliefs in that love overcomes all obstacles and that there is only one true partner for that person. In "Relationship Churning in Emerging Adulthood: On/Off Relationships and Sex with an Ex," the authors note that individuals going
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revealed that lingering feelings and continued attachment were the most common reasons why partners decided to get back together. Furthermore, reconciliation often was initiated by one person. While the other partner may not have strongly wanted to get back together, familiarity with the relationship
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are followed by reconciliation, perpetuating a cycle. Relationship reconciliation is defined as the process in which partners attempt to heal the hurt or wrong that was done and move on from it in order to progress forward in the relationship. This process of breaking up and getting back together can
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Despite this, not all on-again, off-again relationships are considered toxic, as breaking up and reconciling can help a couple with better communication and address the issues in their relationships. On-and-off partners have reported “future relationship knowledge" as being the top benefit of these
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These relationships differ from non-cyclical relationships in that on-again, off-again relationships are between partners that have pre-existing knowledge and experiences with each other. In addition to this, on-and-off partners often report more relationship uncertainty, questioning the meaning of
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Furthermore, on-and-off relationships pose risks in the healing process. Research has shown more difficulty in partners moving on by continuing this cycle, especially if partners have sex during periods of technically not being together. Partners's feelings of pain may also intensify with such
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perspective, this is in some ways expected, as it is a part of exploration in young adulthood. Individuals attempt to learn what they want in future relationships and long-term partners, and in doing so, this time period can be tumultuous, as they are building up experience in relationships.
71:, there are no specific relationship dispositions that make someone more or less likely to be in an on-again, off-again relationship. Dailey defines relationship disposition to be the way that individuals approach their relationship in regards to its purpose and functioning. This includes 75:, destiny and growth beliefs, and communal orientation. In her 2020 study of on-and-off and non-cyclical partners, results did not show on-and-off partners to be more avoidant, believe in destiny more strongly, or have less communal orientation than the non-cyclical couples. 97:
Some research also suggests that breaking up can happen more frequently when it used as a tactic to attain what an individual wants, and thus, it creates an unhealthy cycle of conflict followed by ending the relationship and getting back together.
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may have led to the decision to get back together. Other common causes for renewal of these relationships include changing perceptions, dissatisfaction with alternative partners, missing companionship, sympathy for the partner, and investment.
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emotionally-taxing events. On the other hand, on-and-off patterns can potentially normalize relationship disruptions and reconciliations for future relationships. Because of this, breakups may not have the same impact as they once did.
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couples, in part, due to less commitment, less investment, and simply the nature of the relationship. Less committed couples may breakup in less extreme circumstances, and thus, reconciliations are more likely to occur.
119:, and emotional frustration. Thus, being in an on-again, off-again relationship can damage one's mental health. Researcher Kale Monk, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at the 111:
On-and-off partners report experiencing more negative aspects of the relationship in comparison to non-cyclical partners. These relationships are often strained by
179:, researchers reported that half of the young adults in the sample reported reconciliation from their current or most recent relationship. Dating and 164: 620: 483: 155:
types of relationships. Other benefits include new perspectives, improving the current relationship, and learning more about yourself.
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revealed that nearly two-thirds of participants have experienced being in an on-again, off-again relationship.
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through this process often look to the positive qualities of the relationship to guide their decisions.
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Halpern-Meekin, Sarah; Manning, Wendy D.; Giordano, Peggy C.; Longmore, Monica A. (16 February 2013).
446:"On-again/off-again dating relationships: How are they different from other dating relationships?" 306:
Halpern-Meekin, Sarah; Manning, Wendy D.; Giordano, Peggy C.; Longmore, Monica A. (2 March 2013).
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Dailey, Rene M; Pfiester, Abigail; Jin, Borae; Beck, Gary; Clark, Gretchen (1 March 2009).
564:"Relationship Instability and Distress Over Time in Same‐ and Different‐Sex Relationships" 515:"Relationship Churning, Physical Violence, and Verbal Abuse in Young Adult Relationships" 365:"Relational reconciliation: Toward a more comprehensive model of relational development" 55:
the relationship, its strength, and future. Despite this, a 2009 study published in the
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couples in emerging adulthood showed higher frequency in reconciliation than in
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Monk, J. Kale; Ogolsky, Brian G.; Maniotes, Christopher (11 November 2021).
548: 349: 249: 216:"On-Again/Off-Again Dating Relationships: What Keeps Partners Coming Back?" 214:
Dailey, René M.; Jin, Borae; Pfiester, Abigail; Beck, Gary (24 July 2011).
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This cyclical nature of relationships has proven to be a common part of
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In a 2013 study analyzing relationship instability published in the
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Knobloch, Leanne K.; Solomon, Denise Haunani (22 May 2009).
127:, poorer communication, and lower levels of commitment. 363:Patterson, Brian; O'Hair, Dan (6 June 2009). 8: 67:According to Professor Rene Dailey at the 538: 339: 197: 508: 506: 504: 439: 437: 301: 299: 297: 295: 293: 7: 271:Durham, Saranne (17 December 2021). 209: 207: 205: 203: 201: 27:Type of interpersonal relationship 25: 531:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.01029.x 462:10.1111/j.1475-6811.2009.01208.x 221:The Journal of Social Psychology 32:on-again, off-again relationship 519:Journal of Marriage and Family 369:Communication Research Reports 312:Journal of Adolescent Research 83:A 2011 study published in the 1: 107:Potential drawbacks and risks 69:University of Texas at Austin 234:10.1080/00224545.2010.503249 177:National Institute of Health 86:Journal of Social Psychology 51:be short-term or long-term. 621:Interpersonal relationships 647: 130:In a 2013 study analyzing 44:interpersonal relationship 420:10.1080/10510979909388499 381:10.1080/08824099209359904 273:"What is Reconciliation?" 46:between two people whose 324:10.1177/0743558412464524 36:on-and-off relationship 626:Interpersonal conflict 616:Intimate relationships 450:Personal Relationships 121:University of Missouri 58:Personal Relationships 408:Communication Studies 132:relationship churning 631:Relationship breakup 40:on-off relationship 18:On-off relationship 580:10.1111/fare.12614 165:emerging adulthood 159:Emerging adulthood 150:Potential benefits 34:(also known as an 136:physical violence 16:(Redirected from 638: 600: 599: 568:Family Relations 559: 553: 552: 542: 510: 499: 498: 496: 494: 480: 474: 473: 441: 432: 431: 399: 393: 392: 360: 354: 353: 343: 303: 288: 287: 285: 283: 268: 262: 261: 211: 167:of many. From a 73:attachment style 21: 646: 645: 641: 640: 639: 637: 636: 635: 606: 605: 604: 603: 561: 560: 556: 512: 511: 502: 492: 490: 482: 481: 477: 443: 442: 435: 401: 400: 396: 362: 361: 357: 305: 304: 291: 281: 279: 270: 269: 265: 213: 212: 199: 194: 161: 152: 134:in relation to 109: 104: 81: 42:) is a form of 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 644: 642: 634: 633: 628: 623: 618: 608: 607: 602: 601: 574:(2): 630–643. 554: 500: 475: 433: 414:(4): 261–278. 394: 375:(2): 117–129. 355: 318:(2): 166–188. 289: 263: 228:(4): 417–440. 196: 195: 193: 190: 160: 157: 151: 148: 117:disappointment 108: 105: 103: 100: 80: 77: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 643: 632: 629: 627: 624: 622: 619: 617: 614: 613: 611: 597: 593: 589: 585: 581: 577: 573: 569: 565: 558: 555: 550: 546: 541: 536: 532: 528: 524: 520: 516: 509: 507: 505: 501: 489: 485: 479: 476: 471: 467: 463: 459: 455: 451: 447: 440: 438: 434: 429: 425: 421: 417: 413: 409: 405: 398: 395: 390: 386: 382: 378: 374: 370: 366: 359: 356: 351: 347: 342: 337: 333: 329: 325: 321: 317: 313: 309: 302: 300: 298: 296: 294: 290: 278: 274: 267: 264: 259: 255: 251: 247: 243: 239: 235: 231: 227: 223: 222: 217: 210: 208: 206: 204: 202: 198: 191: 189: 186: 182: 178: 173: 170: 169:developmental 166: 158: 156: 149: 147: 143: 141: 137: 133: 128: 126: 122: 118: 114: 106: 101: 99: 95: 91: 88: 87: 78: 76: 74: 70: 65: 63: 62: 59: 52: 49: 45: 41: 37: 33: 19: 571: 567: 557: 522: 518: 491:. Retrieved 487: 478: 456:(1): 23–47. 453: 449: 411: 407: 397: 372: 368: 358: 315: 311: 280:. Retrieved 276: 266: 225: 219: 174: 162: 153: 144: 140:verbal abuse 129: 110: 96: 92: 84: 82: 66: 60: 57: 53: 39: 35: 31: 29: 525:(1): 2–12. 610:Categories 192:References 181:cohabiting 38:or simply 596:244062899 588:0197-6664 470:1350-4126 428:1051-0974 389:0882-4096 332:0743-5584 242:0022-4545 549:24000263 493:20 April 488:spsp.org 350:24535913 282:20 April 258:17146841 250:21755653 48:breakups 540:3757923 341:3924753 185:married 61:Journal 594:  586:  547:  537:  468:  426:  387:  348:  338:  330:  256:  248:  240:  102:Impact 79:Causes 592:S2CID 277:SACAP 254:S2CID 125:abuse 113:doubt 584:ISSN 545:PMID 495:2023 466:ISSN 424:ISSN 385:ISSN 346:PMID 328:ISSN 284:2023 246:PMID 238:ISSN 138:and 576:doi 535:PMC 527:doi 458:doi 416:doi 377:doi 336:PMC 320:doi 230:doi 226:151 30:An 612:: 590:. 582:. 572:71 570:. 566:. 543:. 533:. 523:75 521:. 517:. 503:^ 486:. 464:. 454:16 452:. 448:. 436:^ 422:. 412:50 410:. 406:. 383:. 371:. 367:. 344:. 334:. 326:. 316:28 314:. 310:. 292:^ 275:. 252:. 244:. 236:. 224:. 218:. 200:^ 115:, 598:. 578:: 551:. 529:: 497:. 472:. 460:: 430:. 418:: 391:. 379:: 373:9 352:. 322:: 286:. 260:. 232:: 20:)

Index

On-off relationship
interpersonal relationship
breakups
Personal Relationships Journal
University of Texas at Austin
attachment style
Journal of Social Psychology
doubt
disappointment
University of Missouri
abuse
relationship churning
physical violence
verbal abuse
emerging adulthood
developmental
National Institute of Health
cohabiting
married





"On-Again/Off-Again Dating Relationships: What Keeps Partners Coming Back?"
The Journal of Social Psychology
doi
10.1080/00224545.2010.503249
ISSN
0022-4545

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