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.

The termination of a romantic relationship, be it by breakup or divorce, is a fairly ubiquitous experience. Most individuals will recover from a traumatic experience of this nature; some however, experience substantial difficulties in recuperating that persist over time. For these individuals, relationship termination can invoke a variety of negative physical and psychological health outcomes. This project examines the role of social cognitive maturity, operationalized as Interpersonal Decentering, in recovery following a relational loss. Participants in this study were assigned to a pre/post control or measurement intensive (four visits) condition over the course of nine weeks. Individuals in the latter condition completed a Stream of Consciousness (SOC) task in which they discussed their breakup experience out loud for four minutes. These narratives were then transcribed and scored using the Interpersonal Decentering manual as adapted for Expressive Writing. Results indicate that – for women only – mature social cognition is inversely related to depressive mood at the initial visit. However, it is not related to initial PSTD symptomatology for men or women, nor does it predict decreases in depression and trauma symptomatology from the initial visit to the nine-week follow-up. Implications, limitations, and future directions for research of this nature are discussed.