Explanation of the Emotional Reactions of Girls with Love Trauma Syndrome: A Qualitative Study

Love trauma syndrome is a set of symptoms that occur in people after the end of an emotional relationship and negatively affects a person's performance in various areas. The aim of this study was to describe and explain the emotional reactions of girls with love trauma syndrome. The research method was qualitative and of qualitative and phenomenological type. The study population consisted of all the dormitory students of the University of Tehran who experienced love trauma in 2018. Using the purposive sampling method, the girls living in one of the dormitories of the University of Tehran were selected. Sampling was continued until data saturation was fulfilled, and finally 14 people were selected and studied using a semi-structured interview. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. The analysis of the interviews produced two main themes, 15 sub-themes and 49 basic concepts. The first main theme was “adaptive emotional reactions”, which included the sub-themes “feeling valued, feeling satisfied and regulating emotions”. The second major theme was “maladaptive emotional reactions”, which included the sub-themes “feelings of failure, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of emotional confusion, feelings of fear, feelings of inadequacy and grief, feelings of vulnerability, depression, feelings of anger, feelings of jealousy, feelings of boredom, unwillingness, frustration and hatred”. The results revealed that love trauma experience has severe and unfortunate, and at times, growth-related consequences which are different and sometimes similar in different people. Due to their local nature and the use of a qualitative approach, the research results can be generalized in our society. They can also provide a basis for the development of intervention guidelines and counseling packages appropriate to this problem.