Unveiling “Toxic” Love: Conceptualizing Toxic Romantic Relationships Within the Indian Context

ABSTRACT Despite the popular use of the term “toxic” while addressing the high prevalence of abuse in Indian romantic relationships, the scientific literature on “toxic” relationships remains scarce and prompts a fundamental inquiry into the precise criteria by which a relationship qualifies as “toxic.” Using an exploratory approach, the present study aimed to conceptualize “toxic romantic relationships” based on semi‐structured interviews of 48 young adults from India, recruited using purposive sampling. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts offered a comprehensive view of toxic relationships across three facets, that is, healthy characteristics of a romantic relationship, unhealthy characteristics of a romantic relationship, and the subsequent negative impact on the individuals. It could be inferred that a romantic relationship can be regarded as “toxic” only when there is at least one unhealthy relationship characteristic present, the severity of which should be such that it has at least one negative impact on the individual(s) involved, regardless of whether there are healthy relationship characteristics present or not. The study offers insights that can inform educational programs, mental health interventions, and social policies to support individuals navigating such relationships, both within the Indian cultural context and beyond.