Intending to Break Up: Exploring Romantic Relationship Dissolution from an Integrated Behavioral Intention Framework

Despite the importance of romantic relationships to the majority of individuals, romantic relationships end often. This article advances understanding of why romantic relationship dissolution occurs by considering dissolution through the lens of two prominent theories of intentional behavior: the reasoned action approach and the theory of interpersonal behavior. The components of each theory are explained and examined within the context of romantic relationship dissolution. Additional factors including anticipated affect, implementation intentions, and attitude toward the process, are considered to provide an integrative framework that can increase understanding and prediction of relationship dissolution. This article responds to calls for more theoretical integration of romantic relationship dissolution research. Future research using this integrative framework should explore the causal relationship among the proposed theoretical antecedents to relationship dissolution to reduce the negative outcomes of breaking up as well as to facilitate fulfilling romantic relationships. The integrative framework can also be applied to remedy relationship dissolution issues as well as to enhance the development and maintenance of romantic relationships.