On‐again/off‐again dating relationships: How are they different from other dating relationships?

Abstract

This article explores the understudied yet prevalent phenomenon of on‐again/off‐again (on‐off) dating relationships. Study 1 (N= 445 U.S. college students) showed that almost two thirds of participants had experienced an on‐off relationship. Analyses of open‐ended responses about relationship experiences showed on‐off partners were less likely to report positives (e.g., love and understanding from partners) and more likely to report negatives (e.g., communication problems, uncertainty) than partners who had not broken up and renewed. Study 2 (N= 236), employing quantitative measures, substantiated these findings and further showed a greater number of renewals was associated with greater negatives and fewer positives. Results highlight the need for further investigation regarding on‐off relationships, and theories potentially useful in explaining these relationships are discussed.

The Impact of Premarital Cycling on Early Marriage

“…Dailey, Pfiester, et al, 2009) and during marriage (Vennum et al, in press) than non-cyclical partners, we expect this difference will be evident at the transition to marriage (lower initial satisfaction) and will be sustained (e.g., parallel rate of change over time).…”

“…Young adult dating partners who renewed their relationships report, on average, lower relationship satisfaction, more destructive conflict, and less love and understanding from their partner than non-cyclical partners (Dailey, Pfiester, et al, 2009). Interestingly, about one-third of cyclical dating partners report that the breakup and renewal improved the relationship or increased their appreciation of their relationship or partner (Dailey, Jin, Pfiester, & Beck, 2011).…”

“…Compared to couples who are stably together, couples who end and renew their relationships report lower commitment and satisfaction, poorer communication, greater uncertainty about the future of their relationship, and experience higher levels of verbal abuse and physical violence (e.g. Dailey, Middleton, & Green, 2012;Dailey, Pfiester et al, 2009;Halpern-Meekin, Manning, Giordano, & Longmore, 2013). Accordingly, partners in cyclical dating or cohabiting relationships who transition into marriage may be at an increased risk for marital distress and instability (Vennum et al, in press), which negatively impacts children involved in these partnerships (e.g.…”

“…Given the relational difficulties reported by cyclical versus non-cyclical couples (e.g. Dailey, Middleton, & Green, 2012;Dailey, Pfiester et al, 2009;Halpern-Meekin et al, 2013;Vennum et al, in press), we conceptualize premarital cycling as a relationship dynamic with the potential to shape dyadic functioning across the transition to marriage.…”

Emotional and Cognitive Coping in Relationship Dissolution

“…Therefore, the degree to which a couple was committed will determine their relationship stability (VanderDrift, Agnew, & Wilson, 2009). A study examining on-again/off-again relationships illustrated that cyclical couples tend to emphasize negative relational aspects more than positive (Dailey, Pfiester, Jin, Beck, & Clark, 2009). Therefore, despite lower relational satisfaction, the couples reunite, which could be due to their commitment and dependency levels rather than being a function of actually being happy together.…”