Strategic communication during relationship dissolution: Disengagement resistance strategies.

Abstract

Research in relationship disengagement has focused almost exclusively on strategies used by the initiator of the breakup to the neglect of studying communication strategies employed by partners undesirous of the breakup. Further, extant relational termination research centers on friendships and dating partners in romantic relationships. This study investigates communication strategies used by divorced individuals who did not wish their marriages to end (Non-Initiators). Participants were 270 divorced persons drawn from divorce recovery groups, divorce support groups, and network sampling. Buss's (1988) taxonomy of retention tactics is used to explore planned communication strategies of Non-Initiators during relational dissolution. These tactics are manifestations of overall strategies used by Non-Initiators to retain their spouse. Findings reveal four strategic communication Disengagement Resistance Strategies (DRS) used by Non-Initiators during the relationship disengagement process: Negativity, Alignment, Commitment, and Harm. In addition, relationship demographic variables including the participant's age at the time of marriage, participant's age at the time of divorce, and the presence of children in the former marriage predict use of the Negativity, Alignment, and Commitment strategies by Non-Initiators. Implications for the application of DRS to the study of relationship dissolution are discussed, and research directions identified.