The occurrence of a stressful event is considered to increase the risk of developing depression. In the present study we explore whether the breakup of a romantic relationship can be used as an experimental model to study a depression-like state during a period of stress in individuals without a psychiatric disorder. The primary aim of our study was to investigate: 1) whether individuals with a recent romantic relationship breakup (‘‘heartbreak”) demonstrate symptoms of depression, 2) how to describe heartbreak characteristics based on data from a comprehensive questionnaire battery, and 3) whether this description can capture severity of depression symptoms. Secondary, we were interested in gender differences with regard to the above study objectives. Subjects who have experienced a relationship breakup in the preceding six months (N = 71) or are in a romantic relationship (N = 46) participated in our study. A questionnaire battery was administered to acquire information related to depression, mood, the breakup and (former) relationship. Principal Component Analysis with Procrustes bootstrapping was performed to extract components from the questionnaire data. Even though our sample of individuals who recently have experienced a relationship breakup can be on average considered non-depressed, group-level depression scores were elevated compared to individuals in a relationship (p = .001) and 26.8% reported symptoms corresponding to mild, moderate or severe depression. We described heartbreak by two principal components interpreted as ‘‘sudden loss” and ‘‘lack of positive affect”, respectively. Highly significant correlations between the component scores and depression scores were found (p < .001 and p < .001, respectively), although these correlations differed between the genders. Based on these findings, we propose that the experience of a romantic relationship breakup is a viable experimental model to examine symptoms of depression in individuals without a psychiatric disorder. This way, stress-related coping and depression vulnerability can be studied in further research.
Citation: Verhallen Am, Renken RJ, ) Romantic relationship breakup: A fresh model to review effects of stress on anxiety (-like) episodes. PLoS That 14(5): e0217320.
Partnership breakup: A fresh design to analyze outcomes of strain on despair (-like) symptoms
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Data Availability: The information will never be stored in the a public repository owed so you can limits regarding the advised consent (victims have not considering accept have the studies publicly stored) and European study confidentiality regulations (GDPR). The content appear on the request. A document access panel might have been applied, comprising Prof G.J. ter Horst (Prominent Detective of your own study), J.B.C. Marsman and you can Prof A great. Aleman (head of Cognitive Neuroscience Cardio), that will opinion needs and you can assure entry to of the analysis. It access committee might be hit via
Funding: The research was funded because of the a donation off Mr Hazewinkel in order to the study School out of Behavioural and you may Cognitive Neurosciences and Prof G.J. ter Horst. Mr Hazewinkel didn’t come with part inside studies design, 
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Stressed life-occurrences are believed are exposure issues toward growth of despair. Kendler mais aussi al. investigated the fresh new interplay anywhere between tiring occurrences, genetic predisposition and you will anxiety one of female twins and found one one another inheritance and occurrence of tiring events lead to the fresh start of depressive symptoms individually. Specifically occurrences with a high feeling, such as death of a virtually cherished one and divorce, raised the possibilities of developing an effective depressive event, while the most of people do not establish good depressive event after the exposure to an unpleasant event. And that, research concentrating on tiring and emotionally hurtful events offers valuable insights with the personal distinctions out-of stress-relevant dealing and outcomes of worry and despair.