Keywords

Romantic Breakups; Trauma-Informed Care; Counseling

Abstract

Romantic breakups are common life experiences that often lead to psychological distress, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety and, for certain individuals, post-traumatic stress symptoms. Given the influence of relationships in our lives, it is unsurprising how distressing such a loss can be. Despite relational distress being a common presenting problem, limited research exists examining how to mitigate distress experienced following a romantic breakup best effectively. Furthermore, although previous research has indicated that individuals following romantic breakups can experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress, limited analytical attention has been given to how trauma-focused therapeutic interventions could be used in the treatment of this distress. Considering these gaps, this research study sought to add to the literature by (a) providing a theoretical framework for conceptualizing romantic breakups as small “t” traumas, thus benefiting from trauma-informed treatment approaches, and (b) by utilizing a small n experimental design to examine the influence of the trauma-informed treatment approach, group Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (GTEP) on mitigating psychological distress following romantic breakups in college students. The results of this study, though limited, are twofold. First, the results indicated that individuals may indeed experience post-traumatic stress symptoms following breakups. Secondly, GTEP may positively influence post-traumatic stress symptoms related to experiencing a romantic breakup.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Hagedorn, W. Bryce & Hundley, Gulnora

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Counselor Education & School Psychology

Degree Program

Counselor Education and Supervision

Format

application/pdf

Release Date

8-15-2027

Length of Campus-only Access

3 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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Restricted to the UCF community until 8-15-2027; it will then be open access.

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