The impact of social constraints on adjustment following a romantic breakup

Following a romantic breakup, people often seek opportunities to talk with close others. Although talking with others may prove helpful for some, the social‐cognitive processing (SCP) model posits that interpersonal interactions can hinder adjustment if disclosers perceive social constraints. The current research marked the first time the SCP model was explored with regard to the dissolution of romantic relationships (N = 217). Consistent with the SCP model, social constraints were associated with greater psychological distress, and avoidance of dissolution‐related thoughts and discussion partially mediated the relation between social constraints and psychological distress as levels of social support decreased. Social support may provide a buffer against engaging in avoidance behaviors in response to feeling socially constrained.