Abstract
This study explores the nature of the communication between former premarital cohabitating couples. Eight research participants (n=8) were interviewed to explore how and why they do or do not continue to communicate with their former partner since the relational termination. Four categories emerged from the qualitative analysis. First, couples “slid” into cohabitation for convenience-based purposes rather than deliberately decided. Second, they experienced a breakdown in or lack of communication before and/or during the disengagement. Third, the relational termination was a gradual process, and forth, the participants offered reasons for why they do or do not remain in communication with their ex-partner. An unexpected theme that emerged was the existence or possibility of a new partner negatively impacting friendship quality between the former partners.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Bunkers, B.
(2015).
The 'Ex' Factor… Will They Be Friends? A Qualitative Analysis of Post-Dissolution Communication Among Former Premarital Cohabitating Couples.
Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal, 38(1).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56816/2471-0032.1051
