Breakdown of Relationships There are theories of relationship dissolution and these give possible reasons as to why couples break up. Duck (1999) suggested that relationship breakdown is due to three risk factors, this includes; lack of skills, lack of stimulation and maintenance difficulties. Lack of skills is when some people have poor communication skills, so they have poor quality conversations and do not indicate interest very well. Duck (1991) argued the lack of social skills can be seen as a disinterest and lack of effort to maintain the relationship, so it breaks down. Lack of stimulation; the social exchange theory suggests that people look for rewards in a relationship of which is ‘stimulation’.
One theory for the breakdown of relationships was put forward by Duck who gave three broad categories as to why relationships break up; pre-existing doom where the failure was inevitable, mechanical failure which is where the couple find themselves drifting apart and sudden death where the discovery of betrayal or infidelity leads to immediate break. Duck also proposed other reasons for relationship dissolution such as lack of skills. A partner may lack the interpersonal skills to make the relationship mutually satisfying. They may be a poor conversationalist or poor at indicating their interest in their partner. Another cause of relationship breakdown is a lack of maintenance.
Discuss psychological theories of the breakdown of romantic relationships (24 marks) Breakdown is the failure of holding a romantic relationship together between the two partners. Duck put forward several reasons as to why relationships may breakdown. One of those reasons is ‘Lack of Skills’, for example the lack of interpersonal skills, such as communication; this may leave the relationship unsatisfying/unrewarding. A second reason to breakdown is ‘Lack of Stimulation’ this could be boredom or the feeling that the relationship isn’t progressing. The final reason is ‘Maintenance Difficulties’, this is when the relationship could be strained by practical difficulties, such as distance.
their friends and families- who may offer advice and support. This stage may also speed up the dissolution of the relationship. The next stage is “grave dressing”. This comes after the relationship has ended and involves the individual justifying their actions and creating alliances by telling their story in a positive light. The last stage is “resurrection”- this is where an individual prepares for future relationships, redefines their values and learns from past mistakes.
The ability to talk about issues in a constructive way (e.g. problem solving) rather than a destructive manner (e.g. scapegoating) is vital if the relationship is to be saved. These dyadic processes may bring up reasons for staying in the relationship or reasons to go. Social processes are when you tell others about the break up and make it public.
If there is no intimacy established by early adulthood, the result is isolation. Erikson describes intimacy as finding oneself while losing oneself in another person (Santrock, 2008). If someone cannot obtain meaningful relationships, this could lead to depression and violent behavior. According to Robert J. Sternberg (1988), love is defined by three types, which
The second stage of the breakdown of a romantic relationship according to Duck is the dyadic stage, this refers to where the partners assess each other’s behaviour in order to evaluate the costs of withdrawing from the relationship, they also experience feelings of uncertainty, resentment and hostility. The third stage of the breakdown of a relationship is the social phase, this is where the partners seek help from the public or they publicly announce the break up. The final stage of a breakdown of a relationship according to Duck is the grave dressing process, this refers to where each partner questions their decision and then considers how the break up has impacted their social life. During this stage the partners also look at the memories they have made. Tashiro and Frazier have completed research to support Duck’s model of breakdown.
How the general public perceive people with mental health problems depends on their diagnosis 4. Stigma can be a barrier to seeking early treatment, cause relapse and hinder recovery 5. Future research should investigate the experiences of service users and their families to understand and measure the impact of stigma Stigma can pervade the lives of people with mental health problems in many different ways. According to Corrigan (2004), it “diminishes self-esteem and robs people of social opportunities”. This can include being denied opportunities such as employment or accommodation because of their illness.
Discuss theories of the breakdown of romantic relationships? Duck stated that relationships breakdown because of three reasons: Lack of Skills, lack of stimulation and maintenance difficulties. Lack of skills for example is because some people find relationships difficult because they lack the interpersonal skills to make them mutually satisfying (e.g. a relationship breaks down because of one of the partners lack of communication skills). Support for Duck's theory comes from Boekhout et al who found that the main reason for breakdown is that one or both partners have an extramarital affair.
Compassion fatigue can eventually affect one’s personal relations, as it can cause the caregiver to withdraw, isolate, or detach oneself if unaddressed. Failure to cope with work stressors can even lead to risky behaviors, such as alcohol or substance abuse. Compassion