#Breakups

A recent study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences offers new insights into how people end romantic relationships, pinpointing three major breakup strategies that most individuals tend to use. While breakups are a universal and often painful experience, the study’s findings shed light on the underlying approaches people take—and why understanding these patterns matters for societies worldwide, including Thailand.

Breakups are common enough to be considered a near-universal life event. The emotional fallout, social consequences, and psychological scars from relationship endings are felt by millions, influencing personal well-being, work performance, and even community cohesion. In Thailand, where family harmony and social reputation are deeply valued, understanding the nuanced ways people dissolve romantic partnerships can help families, educators, mental health professionals, and couples themselves navigate these challenging moments with greater empathy and effectiveness. The new study’s findings provide a scientific foundation for supporting healthier relationship transitions in Thai society.

New research has revealed that the end of a romantic relationship is rarely a sudden event, but rather the result of a lengthy, two-stage decline in satisfaction that often starts years before a couple officially parts ways. Published in the prestigious Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the comprehensive analysis by an international team illuminates how the unraveling of a romantic bond is a slow process punctuated by a “terminal phase” of sharper decline just before the breakup actually happens (PsyPost).