Strategies for ending relationships: Two studies

Two studies were undertaken to determine situational factors which affect how persons choose to terminate relationships. In Study One, 123 college students indicated the likelihood that each of 35 termination strategies would be used to end hypothetical relationships which varied on closeness and intentions for the future relationship. The 35 strategies were reduced to a more parsimonious set of four strategy clusters: Withdrawal/Avoidance, Manipulation, Positive Tone strategies, and Open Confrontation strategies. A MANOVA analysis found significance only for the relationship closeness variable, attributable largely to differences in Withdrawal/Avoidance strategy use. In Study Two, 124 college respondents indicated the likelihood of strategy use for hypothetical relationships which varied on attributions of cause for the relationship demise and perceptions of the other's relationship intentions. The four‐factor solution of Study One was replicated in Study Two. A MANOVA analysis found significance only for the attribution of cause variable, attributable largely to the Withdrawal/A voidance factor.