"People Come and Go": The Perception of Senior High School Students on the Effects of Ghosting on Romantic Relationships

• Main Authors: Bagnas, Ranelle Margarette R., Feraer, Yanna Chloe Ysabel T., Quiambao, Janine Andrea A., Sta. Maria, Madelene
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: adolescents; ghosting; partners; perception; relationship; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/sinaya/vol1/iss1/1; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/sinaya/article/1002/viewcontent/1_Bagnas_etal_People_Come_and_Go_2.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Romantic relationships are consequential to being an adolescent. Hence, it is inevitable that relationship dissolution is experienced during this life stage. One of the relationship dissolution strategies used in present times is ghosting. The present study aims to explore the perception of senior high school students on the effects of ghosting experiences on romantic relationships. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 17 participants selected through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis of interview data revealed that after the ghosting experience, the participants' previous views on romantic relationships were either solidified or changed in terms of having labels, founded on friendships, and planned carefully. Moreover, their responses indicated that after the ghosting experience, they have considered themselves ‘particular and considerate' or ‘hesitant and guarded' as romantic partners. Comparing the responses of the male and female participants, the findings of the study show that there is a difference in the views of romantic relationships and of themselves as romantic partners between the two sexes. Their accounts further revealed that the ghosting experience had negatively affected them both psychologically and physically. These findings serve as a great contribution to existing research on the effects of ghosting on the adolescent ghostee's perception of romantic relationships, for this study is one of the first to explore such.