Trajectory of Depressive Symptoms in the Context of Romantic Relationship Breakup: Characterizing the “Natural Course” of Response and Recovery in Young Adults

Young adults face stressful role transitions as well as increased risk for poor mental health, but little is known about a “natural course” of response to such events. We used the PHQ-2 to characterize the trajectory of depressive symptoms before, during, and after relationship breakup and examined subjective appraisal and sense of control as moderators. In our sample of participants reporting a single breakup during the 2-year study period ( N = 156), breakup was associated with a temporary increase in depressive symptoms that returned to pre-breakup levels within 3 months. We observed increased symptoms among negatively appraised, but not positive or neutral, events. A general low sense of control was associated with higher depressive symptoms at all time points. Our results suggest that a natural course of response to young adult breakups is characterized by recovery within 3 months and that subjective appraisal and sense of control contribute to this adaptive response.