Bouncing Back from a Breakup: Attachment, Time Perspective, Mental Health, and Romantic Loss

Coping with a romantic breakup is a normal developmental task of emerging adulthood. Because of their role in influencing interpersonal relationships and adjustment, attachment history and time perspectives may influence resilience to romantic loss. In an online survey of 1,404 university students ages 18–25 who reported experiencing recent breakups, individuals with secure parental bonding, past positive time orientation, and lower future relationship orientation reported less distress after their breakup. However, time perspectives did not buffer the negative effects of poor parental bonding on mental health. These results suggest that professionals counseling college students experiencing breakups might consider addressing parental bonding and time orientation.